What the Heart Wants
by D.M. Hadsen
Summary: Elizabeth Swan doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. She only knows she wants one thing: passion. Passion for her career, and for the yet-unknown man she'll marry someday. Her father seems to want the opposite for her. When her rebellion against her father's wishes lands her squarely in the path of Will Turner, she finally discovers what it is her heart truly wants.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story was totally unplanned. I woke up this morning and it was 40 degrees below zero outside, and all I could think about was how much I wanted to be somewhere where it was actually warm. But, seeing as how hopping on a plane to the Caribbean isn't possible at the moment, I decided to write about it instead, while wrapped up in a really, really warm quilt.**

 **Please read and review/comment/criticize! I'm winging the whole editing thing on my own, so feel free to correct me, should the occasion arise. I greatly appreciate it...**

Chapter 1

Elizabeth Swan released a heavy sigh as she leaned against the wall of her best friend's bedroom and peered out the window. Her eyes caught the barest glimpse of the scintillating blue of the Caribbean Sea, as the rays of the evening sun danced over its surface.

Lauren looked up from her laptop and yawned, as she stretched her arms above her head of long, dark brown hair. "Why the long sigh?"

Elizabeth straightened and crossed the small room to her friend's bed, flopping back rather dramatically on the mattress. She grabbed a pillow and pressed it to her face. "I don't know what I want to do with my life," came her muffled reply. She heard the mattress creak as Lauren sat down next to her.

Lauren removed the pillow from Elizabeth's face and smacked her in the stomach with it before she tossed it back to its rightful place at the head of the bed. "Say that again, without the pillow covering your face, please."

The corner of Elizabeth's mouth lifted in a slight smile. "I said, I don't know what I want to do with my life." She draped an arm across her forehead and stared blankly at the ceiling as she continued, "We've graduated, it's June, and I haven't even signed up for my college classes yet."

Lauren gave her a puzzled frown. "I thought you were planning to major in political science."

Elizabeth continued to stare at the ceiling as she replied in a monotone voice, "That's what my dad wants me to do. But I _don't_. I'd rather slit my wrist with a rusty spoon and drink my own _blood_ than become a lawyer."

Lauren looked down at Elizabeth and nodded in understanding. "The struggle is real."

Elizabeth lowered her arm to her side and turned her head to study her friend. "I don't know what _you're_ talking about. You've wanted to be a teacher since you were eight! I, on the other hand, haven't a bloody clue. I've been thinking about joining the Navy, actually."

Lauren reared her head back in surprise. "You can't be serious! Your dad would never allow it! And besides, do you _really_ think _you'd_ make it in a career where you have to take orders from someone?"

Elizabeth abruptly sat up and turned to face Lauren, her wavy, caramel-colored hair whirling about her shoulders as she did so. "I'm perfectly serious! And I don't care what my dad thinks! I'm eighteen years old – a legal adult – and I can do what I want with, or without his permission. In fact, I'm planning to go talk to a recruiter tomorrow," she announced in a mildly defiant tone, as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Lauren raised her hands in a calming gesture. "Look, why don't you take some time to think about it before you do that? Maybe talk to some people who either are or have been in the Navy to see what it's actually like." When Elizabeth gave her a doubtful look, Lauren quickly continued. "A recruiter is just going to feed you lies."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "How do you know that? And besides, why would a recruiter lie to me?"

It was Lauren's turn to sigh heavily. Elizabeth could be so naïve at times. But then she supposed, living a sheltered, privileged life would do that to a person. "It's a recruiter's job to try to persuade you to join, Elizabeth. They'll say anything to get you to sign your name on the line. Besides, Will told me so. They really screwed him over when he enlisted three and a half years ago."

 _Ah,_ Elizabeth thought. Lauren's cousin, Will Turner. The guy who all of her friends, at one point or another, had had a mad crush on _._ Although Elizabeth herself had never met him – his family lived on St. Croix, and she had been gone whenever he'd come to St. Thomas to visit Lauren – she'd seen the pictures of him that Lauren's parents kept around the house. Elizabeth, too, had not been immune to his dark good looks and warm, chocolate brown eyes.

"I know!" Lauren suddenly exclaimed, making Elizabeth jump. "Why don't you email Will and ask him?"

Elizabeth grimaced. The thought of emailing the guy she'd had a crush on for years, sent a swarm of butterflies into flight in her stomach. "I wouldn't want to bother him…"

Lauren tilted her head to the side. "You wouldn't be bothering him. He's a really nice guy."

Elizabeth pressed her lips into a tight line and shook her head.

Lauren squeezed her shoulder and gave her an understanding smile. "If you're uncomfortable with just sending him an email out of the blue, I can ask him if it'd be alright and give him a heads-up." She glanced down at her watch. "It's 6:45 here, which means it's 6:45 in the morning in Japan, so he should be finished with his shift. He's usually on instant messenger for a little while after work." With that, Lauren sprang from the bed and dashed to her desk to check her laptop. "Woohoo!" she exclaimed, "Just our luck, he's online!"

Elizabeth's eyes widened in alarm and she quickly rose from the bed as Lauren began to type. By the time Elizabeth reached the desk to stop her from sending the message, Lauren had already hit the "send" key. "No, Lauren! Really?" Elizabeth exclaimed, as she sank to the floor beside the desk and dropped her head into her hands. "What did you say?" she mumbled, half afraid of what Lauren's response would be.

Lauren looked down at Elizabeth's slumped figure on the floor next to her and laughed, giving her blonde head a patronizing pat. "I told him that you have a mad crush on him."

Elizabeth jerked her head up to glare at her friend and smacked her on the arm. "Stop it! You did not! Seriously, Lauren, please tell me what you said!"

"Good grief, girl, chill out, will ya?" Lauren laughed as she took in the sight of Elizabeth's blushing cheeks. "I just told him that I have a friend who is thinking about joining the Navy and that you have some questions about it. I asked if it'd be alright if you send him an email sometime." The ping of the messenger notification tone sounded, and Lauren turned her attention back to the screen. "He responded. He says that would be fine. He'd be happy to tell you whatever you'd like to know." She looked down at Elizabeth and cocked an eyebrow. "You're welcome, by the way."

"I really freaking hate you, you know that, right?" Elizabeth grumbled as she rose to her feet.

Lauren looked up, batted her eyelashes and blew Elizabeth a kiss. "I love you, too."

Elizabeth shook her head. "I'm supposed to be home for dinner by seven fifteen, so I'd better get going." She patted the pockets of her jean shorts and felt the outline of her car key and cell phone.

"Is your dad actually home this week?" Lauren asked, rising from her chair.

"Yep," Elizabeth replied in a glum tone.

Lauren gave her a sympathetic smile. "Hmm, lucky you. I'll text you Will's email address, okay?"

Elizabeth nodded.

Lauren jabbed Elizabeth's arm with her index finger. "Be sure to email him, Elizabeth. I mean it! Tonight. I'll know if you didn't. And I'd better not hear about you going to the recruiting station tomorrow, either."

"Aye-aye, madam," Elizabeth replied. She gave her friend a mock salute and turned on her heel to leave.

The amount of time it took to drive across Charlotte Amalie from Lauren's house to her own home on the outskirts of town, wasn't nearly long enough for Elizabeth. She parked her car in the circular driveway and rested her head against the steering wheel for a moment. Her father would, no doubt, demand to know her plans for the upcoming fall semester, but she didn't have an answer for him. He'd flip if she told him she was considering enlisting in the military.

His long-held dream for her was to study law and eventually work for a prestigious firm and marry some wealthy stiff he approved of, who would advance his own political career. Even the thought of it made Elizabeth cringe. She wanted more. She wanted freedom and adventure. She wanted…well, she didn't know what she wanted, exactly. All she knew was that she wanted to feel passion for her career and for the yet-unknown man she'd marry, someday.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the car door and stepped out into the hot, humid evening air. As she climbed the steps to the front door of her home, her phone vibrated in her pocket. She paused on the steps and pulled it out to check the message. It was from Lauren. She'd sent Will's email address, as promised. Elizabeth tilted her head back and stared up at the dusky blue sky, dreading the evening to come. Dinner with her father and then an awkward email to a hot guy she'd never met. _Just super._

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

Somehow, Elizabeth made it through the hour-long meal with her father. He'd droned on about politics and his hopes for her future. She'd smiled and nodded throughout the ordeal and had promised him that she'd enroll in classes for the upcoming fall semester at UVI. After all, she reasoned afterward, when he had rushed off to his study to attend to some business matter or another, just because she'd said she was going to _enroll_ in classes didn't mean that she actually planned to _attend_ any of them.

Elizabeth rose from her seat at the table and made her way through the dining room and parlor, and up the marble staircase in the two-story foyer. When she finally reached her room, she closed the door and crossed the floor to her bed, collapsing face down onto the mattress. Her phone vibrated. She sighed heavily into the mattress, and without moving anything other than her arm, she removed her phone from her back pocket and finally raised her head to read the message.

It was from Lauren. " _Did you email Will yet?"_

Elizabeth frowned, scrunching her eyebrows together. _"No."_ she typed, before hitting the "send" key.

Her phone vibrated again and another message from Lauren flashed across her screen. _"DO IT. NOW. He said he'd stay up until he heard from you so that you don't have to wait a whole day for him to email you back."_

 _Right,_ Elizabeth thought, dropping her head onto the mattress again. Knowing Lauren, she'd probably told her cousin that her naïve friend was planning to enlist tomorrow and had begged him to talk some sense into her. Elizabeth rolled onto her back and typed a reply. _"Fine. But you're evil. Just know that."_

Lauren replied with a kissy-face emoji.

Elizabeth reluctantly rose from her bed and made her way over to her desk. She flipped open her laptop and sat down in the chair in front of it, impatiently drumming her fingertips on the desktop as she waited for her home screen to load. She opened her email and clicked the "compose" button, before pulling up Lauren's text message that contained Will's email address.

Her fingers hesitated on the keyboard as she tried to think of what to say. Finally, she began to type.

 _Hello,_

 _So…yep, you don't know me, and this is rather awkward, but you know how Lauren can be..._

Groaning in frustration, Elizabeth deleted the text and started over.

 _Hi,_

 _My name is Elizabeth Swan and I'm a friend of-_

Elizabeth mashed the heel of her palm into her forehead as she once again held down the "delete" key and watched the text disappear from the screen in front of her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. If what Lauren said was true – and her friend rarely lied – the poor guy was waiting for her email after working a long, overnight shift. Elizabeth silently cursed Lauren and her well-meaning treachery as she settled her fingers on the keyboard once again.

 _Hi,_

 _Elizabeth Swan here…I'm a friend of Lauren's. I've been considering enlisting in the Navy, but Lauren thought it would be a good idea if I asked you a few questions about it first. So…here goes._

 _1\. What do you like about being in the military?_

 _2\. What do you dislike?_

 _3\. What is the hardest part?_

 _4._ _Do you have any regrets about joining?_

 _5\. What would you do differently, if you had it to do over again?_

 _6\. What is your advice to someone who is considering enlisting?_

 _That's about all of the questions I have at the moment. Thanks in advance for your time…I greatly appreciate it. And thanks for your service._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Elizabeth S._

Elizabeth read through the email a few times and then, with slightly shaking hands, she hit the "send" key. Her heart gave a lurch in her chest as the _whoosh_ tone from the computer speaker confirmed that the message had been sent.

She scrubbed her hands over her face a few times before she rose from her seat and walked into the en suite bathroom, discarding her clothes before stepping into the luxurious, granite-tiled, walk-in shower. She turned the faucet handle to the warmest temperature possible and sighed as a steady stream of hot water from the two oversized showerheads pummeled her body, washing away the stress of the evening.

Elizabeth returned to her room an hour later, dressed in her pajamas and feeling refreshed. She glanced at her laptop as she walked past her desk and paused to swipe her finger over the mousepad. Her email inbox immediately popped up on the screen, with a message from Will Turner awaiting her.


	2. Chapter 2

**PLEASE READ BEFORE STARTING THIS CHAPTER OR A LOT OF THINGS WILL *NOT* MAKE SENSE! There are some terms in this chapter that will need translation. Reading through this will help with visualization and understanding. After 17 years of military life, I've gotten used to them and tend to take it for granted that others understand them, too, so, without any further ado, here we go…**

 **Sailor-to-English Translator**

 ** _Rack_ :** Navy speak for a bunk bed. Very small, very narrow, metal bunk beds. They're usually about 30 inches wide, with a mere 18 (ish) inches of clearance between the top of the mattress and the bottom of the rack (bunk) above you. You just learn to not sit up quickly (or at all, for that matter)…it's a lesson hard (and painfully) learned.

 ** _Coffin Locker_** : Navy terminology for the long, flat locker space located underneath the mattress of your rack. The shallow, horizontal locker stretches the length of the bed. The rack mattress actually rests on top of the metal surface that acts as the locker's lid.

 ** _Berthing_** : A large, communal room where sailors sleep.

 ** _Shower shoes_** : A pair of shoes (usually flip-flops) worn while showering on a ship. You would *not* want to step foot in there, barefoot…you'd probably contract Lord knows what and your feet would, more likely than not, fall off (I'm only half-joking, unfortunately).

 ** _Underway_** : Navy terminology for being out to sea.

 ** _Midrats_** : Navy terminology for a meal served at midnight for those who have night watch and are asleep during the day. It's also considered by many to be the best meal of the day.

 ** _Watch_** : Navy terminology for a work shift or standing watch, more or less.

 ** _Smoking sponson_** : A small deck on an aircraft carrier, located below the flight deck where sailors are permitted to smoke. It's also a good place to stargaze, chill, talk, get some fresh air, etc.

 ** _G.I. Bill_** : Short for the Montgomery G.I. Bill. Basically, a college grant that military personnel earn for their service as part of their benefits.

 ** _P.T._** : Acronym for Physical training. Usually done together with the other sailors in your unit. Usually involves a lot of running… ;(

 ** _P.R.T._** : Acronym for Physical Readiness Test (a.k.a., a torture session dreaded by all but the most devout of gym rats, which occurs twice a year, during which sailors are required to perform a series of physical tasks including push-ups, sit-ups, and a 1.5-mile run).

 ** _Rate_** : Navy terminology for "job."

 ** _E.N._** : Acronym for the Engineman rate.

 ** _N.W.U._** : Acronym for Navy working uniform. The Navy recently switched over to multi-cam from the much-hated "blueberries" (just google them, they're ridiculous. They're blue camouflage, and the only thing you can blend into with them is the ocean, which means you're totally screwed if you fall overboard. Since this fact concerned a lot of sailors, the joke was that if you fell into the ocean, the salt water would trigger the fabric to release a bright orange dye so that they could find you…totally false, btw…the theory was tested by bored sailors, multiple times, the world over, lol).

 ** _Time_** : military time operates on a 24-hour clock. For example, midnight is referred to as 0000, 1 a.m. as 0100 (spoken as zero one hundred), 2 a.m. as 0200, noon is 1200 (spoken as twelve hundred), 1 p.m. is 1300 (spoken as thirteen hundred), 6 p.m. is 1800, 10 p.m. is 2200 (spoken as twenty-two hundred), and 11 p.m. is 2300.

 ** _E-5_** : A rank on the military's enlisted paygrade chart. You won't need to know the next part of this particular definition for the story, but I've included it for those who are curious. In the Navy, enlisted ranking is as follows: E-1 (boot); E-2: seaman apprentice; E-3: seaman; E-4: petty officer third class (or just third class); E-5: petty officer second class ( or just second class); E-6 petty officer first class (or just first class); E-7: chief; E-8: senior chief; E-9: master chief (this is also, arguably, the most respected rank in the Navy…less than 2% of enlisted sailors ever reach this rank).

 ** _Bazzidy_** : Virgin Island Creole for "stupid."

 ** _Rass_** : Virgin Island Creole for "ass."

OOOoooOOOOooOOOOooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOOooOOOooo

 **Chapter 2**

Did you read the author's note above? If not, please do so, otherwise, a lot of this won't make sense. Okay, now that we've settled that, here we go!

Chapter 2 (for real this time… I promise).

It had been a long night, made even longer by having to repair a leaky valve in an engine room. Will slipped the chain with his dog tags and locker key from around his neck and opened his coffin locker. He quickly stowed his shower shoes inside and removed his laptop before closing and locking it again. He shoved the laptop into his rack and climbed in after it, pulling the short, blue privacy curtain shut behind him. He rolled onto his stomach and tried to get comfortable on the ridiculously thin foam mattress in the minuscule space, which barely gave him enough headroom to prop himself up on his elbows, and opened his computer. As per his usual habit, before he went to sleep, he opened the instant messaging app that he used to communicate with family and friends back home. His eyes shifted to the side of the screen, where his list of online contacts was displayed. Internet was a slow luxury onboard, especially when they were underway. Finally, his contact list finished loading. The only person who appeared to be online at the moment was his cousin, Lauren.

She must have been waiting for him, because a message from her popped up on his screen, almost immediately.

" _Well, fancy meeting you here! I'll cut through the crap tonight and get straight to the point. I have a friend who is thinking about joining the Navy. She does, however, have some questions about it. I told her that the recruiters would fill her mind with vicious lies, so would it be okay if she sends you an email to ask some questions, instead?"_

Will raised an eyebrow at the unusual request, but replied, _"That would be fine. I'd be happy to tell your friend whatever she'd like to know."_

Several minutes passed before Lauren responded again.

" _Thanks, Will…you're THE best!"_

Will grinned at his younger cousin's enthusiasm and typed a reply. _"So, which friend of yours is going to be emailing me? Have I met her?"_ He had met most of Lauren's friends during his trips to St. Thomas to visit her, and he wondered if it was someone he was already acquainted with.

" _No, you two haven't met,"_ Lauren replied. _"She's been away every time you've come to visit for any length of time during the summers. And it's no wonder you haven't met her since then, seeing as how you haven't bothered to come home on leave in almost FOUR FREAKING YEARS!"_

Will winced as guilt pierced his heart, but the truth was, he hadn't felt like he'd had anything to come home _to_. His dad hadn't been in the picture for more than a decade, having left Will and his mom to struggle on their own when Will was just twelve years old. Then, to top it all off, his mom had died in a car accident on the first day of his senior year of high school, leaving the house and her meager savings, which hadn't amounted to more than a couple hundred dollars, to him. He'd had to pick up extra hours at his part-time job just to pay the bills, more often than not going without food. If it weren't for dinners at his friend, Jack Sparrow's place and the occasional leftovers from the restaurant Will had worked at, he probably would've starved. He and Jack had enlisted in the Navy together right after graduating at midterm, in December. Jack's girlfriend, Anamaria, had moved into Will's house to keep an eye on things while he was away.

But, of course, Lauren didn't know any of this, so he couldn't blame her for thinking the way she did. She had only been fourteen years old at the time, and whenever his aunt and uncle had called to check on him and asked how things were going, he'd told them he was just fine. They had even invited him to live with them, but he had felt that he couldn't impose. Their tiny home was already full, and he knew they both worked hard just to make ends meet. Will flexed his fingers a few times before placing them on the keyboard once more.

" _I know, and I'm really sorry. My biggest regret about not coming home is that I haven't been able to see you and your family. But my enlistment's almost up…only five more months, in fact. I've been debating about whether or not to reenlist. Jack and I have talked about opening an automotive shop in Charlotte Amalie. As I recall, there was a sorry lack of them last time I was there to visit you, and the alternator in your dad's Jeep went out. Please don't say anything to your parents though. Nothing's for certain yet."_

Will pressed the "send" key and waited for, what he was sure would be, a loaded comment from his cousin. Sure enough, a reply popped up on his screen shortly after.

" _Do you have any idea how happy that would make our family, Will? I hope that you decide to do just that. I know it won't be easy for you to come back. I don't know about everything that happened after your mom died, but I know enough to understand that. You mean a lot to so many people…I hope you know that. And thanks for saying you'll talk to my friend. Her name's Elizabeth. Don't get me wrong, she's a smart girl – our class valedictorian, actually – but she's exceedingly naïve and may or may not be going through a rebellious stage at the moment. The last I knew – as of last week, in fact – she was planning to go to college and now, suddenly this evening, she told me she's thinking about joining the Navy. I told her to email you tonight. I hope that's okay. I didn't know what else to do. Sigh. Kids."_

Will's heart warmed a little as he read Lauren's reaction to his message, and he had to chuckle over her comments about her friend. He ran a hand through his thick, cropped brown hair. He kept it as long as regulations would allow, but even after nearly four years, he still disliked having to keep it cut so short. Growing his hair out again was going to be one of the first things he did when he got out of the military. He returned his attention to the screen and began typing.

" _It's no problem at all. Really. In fact, if it'll put your mind at ease, I'll wait until I get her email before going to sleep for the day so that she doesn't run off to the nearest recruiting station at first light, okay?"_

He and Lauren chatted back and forth for the next hour and a half, but he still hadn't received the expected email from her friend.

Will's eyes had just begun to drift shut when the email tone pinged on his laptop. He blearily stared at the screen and clicked on the email message to open it. It was from Lauren's friend, Elizabeth. He quickly minimized the email and typed a quick message to his cousin.  
" _Your friend's email just came through. I'll talk to you later, okay?"_

He only had to wait a few seconds for his cousin's reply.

" _Excellent. 'Night!"_

Will opened his email again and began to read.

 _Hi,_

 _Elizabeth Swan here…I'm a friend of Lauren's. I've been considering enlisting in the Navy, but Lauren thought it would be a good idea if I asked you a few questions about it first. So…here goes._

 _1\. What do you like about being in the military?_

 _2\. What do you dislike?_

 _3\. What is the hardest part?_

 _4._ _Do you have any regrets about joining?_

 _5\. What would you do differently, if you had it to do over again?_

 _6\. What is your advice to someone who is considering enlisting?_

 _That's about all of the questions I have at the moment. Thanks in advance for your time…I greatly appreciate it. And thanks for your service._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Elizabeth S._

After reading the message, Will cocked an eyebrow and sighed heavily, pushing his exhaustion to the back of his mind, as he began to type.

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Elizabeth swallowed hard as she stared at the message in her inbox. She briefly thought about just going to bed and reading it the morning, but she knew that wondering about the email's contents would only keep her awake. With a resigned shake of her head, she picked up her laptop and carried it to her bed. She settled herself snugly under the covers before she laid her head on her overstuffed feather pillow and set the computer on the mattress beside her. Finally, she opened Will's message and began to read.

 _Elizabeth,_

 _I'm glad to be of help. I'll try to answer your questions to the best of my ability, in the order you asked them._

 _1\. What I like most is being able to travel and see parts of the world that I wouldn't have been able to see, otherwise. It's really eye-opening to witness the poverty of third world countries first-hand. I've also seen many places and sights that are beautiful beyond description. I love being out to sea, as well._

 _2\. I strongly dislike the politics, but I keep my head down and do my job, mostly managing to stay out of trouble, ha._

 _3\. The hardest part is being away from my extended family. I've always been pretty close to Lauren and her parents, and I know that it's been difficult for them, too._

 _4\. I don't really have any regrets, about joining. I believe it gave me a head start in life. As I said before, it's given me the opportunity to see and do things I wouldn't have, otherwise. I also have my G.I. Bill that I can use to pay for college if/when I do get out._

 _5\. If I could do it all over again, I would have gone to college first and joined as an officer, instead of enlisting right after high school. The work, pay, retirement and accommodations are remarkably better._

 _6\. My advice to someone who is looking to enlist is to go to college first. Then, if you still want to join, you'll be able to do so as an officer._

 _I realize that my answers may not be what you wanted to hear, but as you've probably learned from your years of friendship with Lauren, the B.S. gene skipped our family altogether, and we tend to be quite blunt._

 _Thanks, by the way for the "thanks for your service" part…that's the first time anyone's ever said that to me. Best of luck with your decision, whatever you decide. Feel free to email me any time. I'm usually pretty quick to respond if I'm not working. I'd better say goodnight so that we can both get some sleep._

 _Respectfully,_

 _Will T._

Elizabeth reread the email twice more before she closed her laptop. His advice had given her a lot to consider, and it was several hours before she eventually drifted off to sleep.

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Elizabeth awoke the next morning and sat up in bed, eager to reply to Will's email. She propped several pillows against her headboard and sat back against them, propping her computer up with another pillow on her lap.

 _Will,_

 _Thank you so much for replying to my email last night. I know you must have been tired. It was sound advice, and I appreciate your honesty. I do, however, have a question about one of your responses. You said you love being out to sea…can you tell me more about that? What do you love about it, and what draws you to it?_

 _Have a great day today…I hope you were able to get some sleep last night. Sorry to have kept you up so late._

 _-Elizabeth S._

Elizabeth got out of bed and went to the bathroom to shower, put on her makeup, and throw her hair up in a simple twist. It was Tuesday, one of the four days during the week when she volunteered at the local nursing home. She pulled on a blue t-shirt and clipped her work ID badge to the pocket of her jean shorts, and grabbed her phone and keys from her dresser before she left her room and descended the staircase. She quickly dashed into the dining room and grabbed a bagel from a tray on the sideboard. She was surprised to notice her father sitting at the dining table when she turned around.

He looked up from his newspaper and smiled at her. "Heading to the nursing home, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth nodded, crossing the room to stand beside him. "Yep. I'll be home by six, okay?"

Her father sighed. "I'm afraid I won't be here. I have a dinner meeting with Senator Norrington." He raised a bushy gray eyebrow and regarded her with a calculating expression. "You remember James, don't you Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth made a clicking noise with her tongue as she pressed her mouth into a hard line and nodded slowly. "That I do." James Norrington was exactly the sort of stuffed shirt stiff her father would love to see her end up with. Never mind the fact that he was twelve years older than she was and didn't have a spark of humor or life in him, for that matter. He did, however, have a great deal of money and political acumen – everything her father could ever want in a relationship for her, and everything she, herself, feared. "Well," she abruptly said, pushing back the wave of panic that rose in her chest as the disturbing thoughts assailed her mind, "I really have to get going or I'm going to be late. Bye, Dad." She gave her father's shoulder a quick pat and turned to leave the room.

When Elizabeth was out of sight of the dining room, she sprinted through the parlor and foyer, and out the front door. Her mind raced even faster than her legs as she ran across the driveway and opened the door of her shiny, new, red Nissan Armada that had been a graduation gift from her father. She quickly blinked back the tears that threatened to fall and lowered the visor, flipping the mirror open to check her makeup. It seemed to Elizabeth that she ended up in tears every time her father was home, as a result of his overbearing expectations of her. However, she conceded to herself, it wasn't like she had ever done anything to stand up to him. She knew that that had to change. Thankfully, he wasn't often home. She had been grateful when, four years ago, he had deemed her old enough to stay home with only her nanny, Dominica, who also served as the housekeeper, and the rest of household staff to look after her.

Dominica had stayed on as housekeeper after Elizabeth was old enough to no longer be in need of her services as a nanny. This week's revelations, too, signified the end of an era. Elizabeth knew that if she didn't stand up to her father, express her own wishes and take charge of her own life and destiny, she'd end up in a life she didn't want. She drew in a shuddering breath, flipped the visor back up and pulled out of the driveway.

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Will woke to the sound of his cell phone's alarm tone and opened his eyes to the familiar sight of the gray underside of the rack above him, a mere eight inches from his face. His usual routine after his watch ended was to check his email and chat with friends and family members for about an hour or so before he went to sleep for the day. However, due to the amount of time it had taken to wait for and reply to Lauren's friend's email, he hadn't gotten to sleep until almost 0930. He picked up his phone and swiped his thumb across the screen to check the time. It was 1800. He had four hours until his watch started. That would give him just enough time to eat, hit the gym, shower, and check his email. He scrubbed his hands over his face and then very carefully maneuvered out of his rack, his bare feet hitting the cold, linoleum floor of the berthing.

Jack found him in the gym, some time later. "Hello, mate," Jack greeted.

Will rolled his eyes when he heard the sound of his friend's cockney accent. Jack had moved with his dad from London to St. Croix when he was 12, and he and Will had been best friends, ever since. "What are you doing in the gym?" Will asked as he racked the weight bar he had been lifting and ducked under it to sit upright on the bench, resting his forearms on his thighs. Jack tended to avoid the gym and PT whenever he could manage. Will had no idea how the man managed to stay fit and pass his PRTs, what with his loathing of exercise in general and the way he packed the food away during midrats. Not to mention his drinking and smoking habits.

"Came to see if you wanted to accompany me to the smoking sponson." Jack leaned back and wrinkled his nose. "You need to grab a shower though, mate. I can smell ya from here."

Will wiped the sweat from his brow and checked his watch. "I've got two hours before watch. I'll meet you out there in about half an hour, alright?"

Jack gave Will an annoyed look. "Half an hour? Never knew you to be one for Hollywood showers."

"I just want to check my email quick," Will explained, rising from the bench. "See ya then."

Jack nodded and strutted away.

After he'd showered, Will climbed into his rack with his laptop and checked his email. A reply from Lauren's friend was awaiting him. He read Elizabeth's message and thought about her question for a moment. She had asked what it was that he loved about the sea and what drew him to it. He gave the matter some thought but found it difficult to put his feelings into words. The sea was something that needed to be experienced, rather than explained. An idea came to mind. He'd show her. He grabbed his phone and headed out to the smoking sponson.

Jack was already there, leaning against the rail of the small, open space just below the flight deck. "Took you long enough," he grumbled, lowering the cigarette from his mouth.

"Shut it," was Will's curt reply. He opened the camera app on his phone and walked to the rail to snap a picture of the sea.

"What the bloody hell are you doin' that for?" Jack asked, giving Will a puzzled frown. He jerked his head to the side, motioning toward the open ocean. "Don't see enough of it every day as it is?"

"They're not for me," Will replied in an even tone.

Jack's eyebrows rose, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Oh, who _are_ they for, then?"

Will continued to snap photos of the sponson and the sea, his jaw tightening in irritation. "For a friend of Lauren's."

Jack grinned. "Finally find yourself a girl, mate? 'Bout bloody time, I was beginning to think you were a eunuch."

Will lowered his phone to glare at Jack. "Very funny. And no. She's considering joining the Navy and had some questions. I'm merely answering them."

Jack gave his friend a knowing look. "Mm-hm. And does your new Dolly-Belle have a name?"

Will pocketed his phone and joined his friend at the rail. "One more time, Jack, and I swear, I will throw you overboard in your NWUs so that you've no chance of being found or rescued."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Fine then, does your _cousin's friend_ have a name?"

"Elizabeth Swan," Will answered.

"Swan…Swan…" Jack muttered thoughtfully. "As in Weatherby Swan, the governor?" Jack grinned, pulled another cigarette from his pocket, and clamped it in his teeth as he lit it. "If that's the case, you'd better watch yourself, mate," he chuckled.

Will ground his teeth together as he looked down at the deck. Leave it to Jack to point that out. "Jack," he muttered, a dangerous note in his voice. The last thing he needed was needling from his friend.

Jack held out his hand. "Here, give me your phone. If you're going to send her pictures, she might as well get one of you, too."

Will just glared at him.

Jack raised his hands in surrender. "Fine, mate. Well, I'm off. There's a game of Spades in the berthing. Care to join?"

Will just shook his head. "No. I'm good."

"Suit yourself," Jack answered as he sauntered off.

Will turned and leaned against the rail. He closed his eyes and breathed in the salty scent of the sea. Everything about the sea drew him to it. The endless horizons, the freedom, the possibilities, the peace. He pulled his phone out again and thumbed through the pictures he'd taken. He looked over his shoulder to make sure the sponson was empty – a rarity, as it was usually crowded with smokers – before he opened the camera app and held the phone out at arms-length to snap a photo of himself, with the sea in the background. He finished up by recording a short video and then headed back to the berthing to start his email.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOOooOOOoooOOO

Elizabeth returned home to a blessedly empty house that evening. She waved a hand to the housekeeper, Dominica, who happened to be passing through the foyer at the moment Elizabeth raced through the front door.

"My goodness!" Dominica exclaimed in surprise. "Slow down, child! You's likely to trip and break yuh nose or a tooth and den where would yuh pretty face be? Packed with ice in the emergency room, dat's where! I taught yuh better dan dat."

Elizabeth abruptly halted and turned to face the woman who had raised her. "Sorry, Dominica," she leaned forward to give the middle-aged woman a hug and a quick kiss on her dark-complexioned cheek. "I'm just looking forward to this evening."

"Well, you's should be," Dominica replied with an affectionate but stern glance at her charge. "Yuh fahddah's out o' de house and thankfully he didn't bring dat rass Norrington heh for de meetin'. Somethin' 'bout dat man gives me de creeps!"

"You and me both," Elizabeth agreed with a grimace.

"Now, get on upstairs. Don't let me interrupt yuh business."

Elizabeth flashed her one last smile before she turned and walked across the foyer. When Dominica had vanished into the parlor, Elizabeth raced up the stairs.

She was halfway to the top of the staircase when a loud shout of, "Walk up dem stairs, missy!" sounded behind her.

Elizabeth directed a guilty look over her shoulder to where Dominica stood watching her, just inside the parlor doorway. Elizabeth sighed and nodded, obediently taking the remainder of the stairs at a slower pace.

When she finally reached her room, Elizabeth checked her watch. It was 6:15. She grabbed her laptop from her desk and tucked it under her arm before she crossed the room to the set of French doors that opened onto a wide balcony at the front of the house. The flagstone balcony overlooked a sprawling, green hillside, at the bottom of which lay the Caribbean Sea. She reclined in the well-padded chaise lounge, settled her computer on her lap and opened her email. Elizabeth couldn't help the tiny smile that reached her lips or the flutter of her heart in her chest when she saw an email from Will, with an attachment icon next to the subject line, in her inbox. She took a deep breath and clicked on the email to open it.

 _Elizabeth,_

 _You asked what I love about the sea, and what draws me to it. I couldn't find the words, so I snapped some photos and a short video instead. I hope it answers your question. Let me know if the video attachment didn't come through, and I'll try to resend it…the internet on the ship is incredibly slow._

 _Respectfully,_

 _Will T._

Elizabeth opened the first photo. It was a picture of the sea, with the gray rail of a ship in the foreground. The choppy surface of the water, far below the deck, stretched out until it met the horizon. She smiled a little and clicked on the next image. A picture of Will, very handsome-looking in a black t-shirt with the ocean in the background, filled her screen. She bit her lip. _Dang, but he's a good-looking man_ , she thought. Elizabeth clicked on the video next. The sound of wind rushed over her speakers, and a view of the sea filled the screen. Then, the camera view rotated, and Will's face filled the frame. Elizabeth smiled.

" _Okay,"_ Will's voice said over her speaker. _"You asked me what I love about this, so I'm going to try to explain it,"_ he smiled. The camera angle shifted from his face to the ocean once more. His hand came into view as he pointed out toward the horizon. _"See that horizon? It's endless, and so are the possibilities and the freedom it represents. You never know what you'll encounter. It's really peaceful, too. At night, when the water is smooth, and the sky is clear, the stars reflect off the water and it looks like you're sailing through the night sky."_ The camera turned to Will again, who wore a sheepish expression. _"I know that probably sounds incredibly ridiculous, but it's the only way I can explain it. I'll try to take a video of it for you sometime, but I'm not sure how well my phone's camera will be able to capture it."_ The camera perspective shifted once again, this time, to show the deck he was standing on. _"This is the smoking sponson. I don't smoke, but I like to come out here and watch the sea. Sometimes I see whales, dolphins, you name it, and sometimes I just watch the waves or the horizon. It's peaceful. Anyway, I hope that answered your questions. Have a wonderful day, Elizabeth."_

When the video had finished, Elizabeth opened the picture of Will once again and studied his smiling face. A noise from the doorway behind her startled her. She gasped and turned in her seat to see Dominica standing in the doorway with a laundry basket tucked under one arm and her free hand resting on her hip as she peered over Elizabeth's shoulder.

"Who is dat fine specimen of a man on yuh screen?" Dominica asked, nodding toward the computer.

"Ah – n-no one," Elizabeth stuttered.

Dominica looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "You's sure are doin' a whole lot o' blushin' for it to be 'no one,' young missy."

Elizabeth swallowed hard but sighed. She knew she could trust Dominica with anything. "It's Lauren's cousin, Will Turner. He's stationed on an aircraft carrier in Japan. He just sent me an email," she shrugged. "Like I said, it's nothing."

Dominica gave her a knowing look. "Well, 'e sure is a handsome one."

Elizabeth clucked her tongue and nodded. "Indeed, he is." When Dominica turned to leave, Elizabeth called after her. "Dominica, don't tell my dad I'm emailing him, okay? There's really nothing to it. He just answered some questions for me."

Dominica gave her an incredulous look. "Do I look bazzidy, girl? O' course I'd nevah tell yuh fahddah. You's should know dat better dan anyone, I would think." And with that, she turned and walked off, muttering to herself.

Elizabeth smiled affectionately after her. Dominica had kept all of her secrets, for as long as she could remember. Not that she had many, but Dominica never told her father about all the times she'd caught her sneaking out late at night to hang out with friends. Not to mention the time, at the end of her junior year of high school, when she'd been so drunk at a party - that she'd snuck out to, no less - that she had passed out on a beach on the other side of the island and Lauren had had to call Dominica to come pick her up. Personally, Elizabeth thought that Dominica kept things from her father to get back at him for being such a "stick-in-da-mud" as she called him when it came to raising Elizabeth.

She returned her attention to the computer screen and Will's photo. After a few more moments of looking into his brown eyes – _man, those eyes,_ she thought – she closed the window and opened a new message to write a reply.

OOOoooOOOOooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

Will was exhausted. He'd had to endure PT and training after his watch ended. He dragged himself into his rack and checked his email. He was surprised to see a reply from Elizabeth with attachments in his inbox.

 _Will,_

 _Thanks for sending the photos and video. I appreciate it. And, yes, you answered my question perfectly._

 _How was your day? Anything interesting happen?_

 _I'm curious…what's your job on the ship? What do you do when you're not working?_

 _I hope you have a good day, too! Take care of yourself, okay?_

 _-Elizabeth_

He opened the first attachment. It was a photo, taken from the edge of a stone balcony, with a view of a sloping hillside that eventually met the edge of the sea. Will's breath caught in his chest when he opened the next photo. It was a picture of a beautiful young woman, whom he surmised, was Elizabeth. Her head was tilted slightly to the side and her wavy, caramel blonde hair tumbled over her shoulder. The smile on her full lips reached her tawny brown eyes. She was beyond beautiful. She was perfect. Will shook his head and opened the video attachment, and then plugged his headphones in, while he waited for it to load. When it had finally finished, the face of the woman from the photo appeared on his screen again.

" _Hello,"_ Elizabeth said with a smile and a small wave into the camera. _"Thanks again for sending me the photos and video. I greatly enjoyed them. I mean…"_ Will smiled as he watched her cheeks flush a light red color before she schooled her features and continued, _"I mean I enjoyed the educational experience,"_ she nodded to the camera with a serious expression. _"So,"_ she continued, smiling once again, _"I'm sure you're somewhat familiar with this scenery, but I'll show it to you anyway."_ With that, the camera perspective shifted to the landscape. _"This is the view from my home, and this,"_ she said, as the video shifted to a stone balcony with a set of French doors and a plush, beige chaise lounge, _"is my favorite place to read, think, and relax."_ The scenery blurred across his screen as the camera shifted to Elizabeth's face once again. _"Anyway, have a wonderful day, Will, and thanks again."_

Will stared at the screen thoughtfully for a few moments before he exited the video to reply to her email. He absently cracked his knuckles one by one as he mulled over what to say about her photos. He didn't want to sound too complimentary, lest she take it the wrong way, nor did he wish to hurt her feelings by not saying anything at all.

 _Hello again,_

 _Thank you for the photos and video…your picture was lovely. The balcony shown in the video looks like a relaxing spot._

 _Watch was fairly uneventful last night. We had PT this morning and then training, so I'm pretty worn out. It's my day off though, so I'm thankful for that. My rate (job) is engineman, and my rank is E-5 (petty officer second class). When we're out to sea and I'm not working, I sleep, go to the gym, read, hang out, and chat online with my friends and Lauren and her parents._

 _So, what do you do in your spare time? You mentioned that you like to read, which genre is your favorite? Any all-time favorite books?_

 _I'm curious…how is it that I haven't met you before during my trips to St. Thomas, to visit Lauren?_

Will considered deleting the last line but decided to keep it in. It might, after all, help him to learn if Jack's suggestion that she could be related to the governor, was true. He returned his attention to the screen.

" _Bye for now._

 _Respectfully,_

 _Will"_


	3. Chapter 3

****PLEASE READ BEFORE STARTING THIS CHAPTER****

 _ **SAILOR-TO-ENGLISH TRANSLATOR**_

 _ **Cross rate:**_ The process of changing rates (jobs) in the Navy.

 _ **Leave:**_ Military terminology for vacation.

 _ **NUB (nub):**_ Navy acronym for Non-Useable Body. Someone (usually a junior sailor) new to the Navy or a rate who hasn't completed their qualifications.

 _ **Midwatch:**_ A watch on a ship that starts at midnight. For engineering rates (jobs), they usually last between 4 and 6 hours. When a sailor is on watch rotation, they will typically stand one or two watches during the day or night, in addition to their normal work hours. 14-18 hour work days are not uncommon, especially when out to sea.

 _ **Mail buoy watch:**_ A joke task given to new sailors.

 _ **C-**_ **2** : A cargo plane.

 _ **Quals:**_ Short for "qualifications." The process of becoming qualified to operate and monitor different systems and equipment.

 _ **Shipmate:**_ A term for someone of low rank in the Navy. Usually used when you're trying to get their attention to correct a mistake.

 _ **EN2 and EN3:**_ "EN" stands for the rate (job) of engineman. The "2" and "3" stand for the ranks of petty officer second class, and petty officer third class, (E5 and E4), respectively. For example, in casual address, you wouldn't say "Petty Officer Sparrow," you would just say "EN2 Turner" and "EN3 Sparrow." Sometimes, it's shortened to just "EN2" or "Turner." It depends upon the situation and environment. P.S. In case you're wondering, Will, outranks Jack here. : ).

 _ **Eval:**_ Short for "evaluation."

 _Please note: Two timeline jumps occur during this chapter, so just be mindful of that while reading. Thanks! :). Also, the military really likes to use acronyms...a lot. There's one at the very end of the chapter which, even though it's not put together as an acronym, forms an offensive word if you happen to take the time to put it together in your own mind. You've been warned. : )_

 **Chapter 3**

Elizabeth kicked a tiny piece of driftwood into the surf with the toe of her flip flop as she walked with Lauren along the beach the following evening. She stopped and turned to stare out to sea as the memory of Will's video from the night before, and his explanation of what drew him to it came to mind. While her gaze lingered on the horizon, her thoughts wandered to his smile and dark eyes. Her musings were interrupted by the sight of Lauren's hand, waving in front of her face. Elizabeth blinked rapidly and turned to her friend. "Hmm? I'm sorry, my mind was wandering. Did you say something?"

Lauren rolled her eyes. "I said, what did Will say? He emailed you back, right?"

"He did," Elizabeth answered. She glanced out to sea again. "He gave me some good advice and a lot to think about."

"Such as?" Lauren asked.

Elizabeth shrugged. "He advised me to finish college first and then if I still want to join the Navy, to do so as an officer."

Lauren crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow. "And?" she prodded.

Elizabeth sighed and tucked a piece of hair that had escaped her braid behind her ear. "And, I think it was sound advice. I've pretty much decided to go to college this fall. I just don't know what for." She paused to take a deep breath before continuing. "But, I'm going to do what I want to do. Not what my dad orders me to do. It's my life, and it's time I start taking charge of it and living it."

Lauren smiled and pulled her into a hug. "I am so glad to hear you say that!" She stepped back and met Elizabeth's eyes. "You know that if things ever go south with your dad, you can stay with my family, right?"

The familiar maelstrom of panic that Elizabeth felt whenever she thought about her father's expectations of her began to well up in her chest, threatening to suck her under. Tears pricked her eyes. "Thank you," she said sincerely as she attempted to blink them back. Elizabeth cleared her throat and took a deep breath. She smiled and lifted her shoulder in a careless shrug in an attempt to appear indifferent about the inevitable confrontation with him. Her fears were something she kept close to her chest. It wasn't anyone's business but her own, and she had spent the last several years and a considerable amount of strength upholding a happy and care-free façade. When she cried, she did so in private, unwilling to let others see her pain. Not even Lauren knew how deep the relentless current of fear ran through her heart.

Despite Elizabeth's best efforts, Lauren noticed her struggle to hide the moisture in her eyes and gave her a concerned look. She sat down on the sandy beach and pulled Elizabeth down next to her. "Uh-oh, what's wrong?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "I'm just so tired of feeling like I don't have any power or say in my own life. My dad's plans for my future scare me, Lauren. I don't want to end up in a career I hate, shackled to someone I don't love." His not-so-subtle hint about James Norrington the day before came to mind, unbidden, and she shuddered. "I couldn't live like that. I would dread every single day. It would feel like a living death." She bit the inside of her mouth and pulled in a deep breath as she tried to regain her composure.

Lauren placed her hands on Elizabeth's shoulders and pressed her mouth into a hard line. In a matter-of-fact- tone, she said, "Then do what you told me you were going to do. It's your life, take charge of it." She leaned over to wrap her arms around her friend's slim shoulders. "Everything'll work out, one way or another."

Elizabeth nodded. "I plan to." Something strange and unfamiliar began to eclipse the ever-present feeling of entrapment in her heart. She wasn't certain what it was, but it felt like hope.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

Elizabeth's eyes flew open when she heard her email notification tone. She'd fallen asleep on the balcony after returning from her walk on the beach with Lauren. She blinked up at the starry, night sky for a moment before she reached over the edge of the chaise lounge to pick up her laptop. She settled back into the cushions again and opened her email. It was a message from Will.

 _Hello again,_

 _Thank you for the photos and video…your picture was lovely. The balcony shown in the video looks like a relaxing spot._

 _Watch was fairly uneventful last night. We had PT this morning and then training, so I'm pretty worn out. It's my day off though, so I'm thankful for that. My rate (job) is engineman, and my rank is E-5 (petty officer second class). When we're out to sea and I'm not working, I sleep, go to the gym, read, hang out, and chat online with my friends and Lauren and her parents._

 _So, what do you do in your spare time? You mentioned that you like to read. Which genre is your favorite? Any all-time favorite books?_

 _I'm curious…how is it that I haven't met you before during my trips to St. Thomas, to visit Lauren?_

 _Bye for now._

 _Respectfully,_

 _Will_

A subtle tingle of excitement ran through Elizabeth when she finished reading the email. She hit the reply button and began to type.

 _Will,_

 _It sounds like you had a long day. I hope your day off goes well and that you're able to enjoy it. Lauren and I spent the afternoon and evening at the beach. I try to avoid being at home as much as possible when my dad is here. We don't really see eye-to-eye on a lot of things, and it seems like most conversations turn into lectures about my future. I'd rather just avoid those, altogether._

 _Do you enjoy working as an engineman? I'll try to answer your questions, but I'm sure my replies won't be as interesting as yours._

 _In my spare time, I read, watch movies, and hang out with Lauren. I also enjoy spending time at the beach. I love to look for shells and watch and listen to the sea._

 _I enjoy adventure books, and 'Treasure Island,' by Robert Louis Stevenson, is my all-time favorite. And you? What do you enjoy reading?_

 _You haven't met me because, with the exception of the past four years, I've been away from home every summer. My dad travels a lot for work, and until a few years ago, I traveled with him. I wish I had been able to meet you, though._

 _-Elizabeth_

Elizabeth chewed her lower lip as she debated whether or not to leave the last line in. She took a deep breath, screwed her courage to the sticking place, and hit the send button before she could change her mind.

 _OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO_

After Will had sent the email off to Elizabeth, he opened his instant messaging app to see if anyone was online. He checked the time. It was 10:15. Lauren was probably either out or asleep, and it was too late for his aunt and uncle to be online. He navigated to a news website instead and scrolled through the headlines. After about fifteen minutes, his email tone sounded, and a message from Elizabeth popped up on his screen.

He was surprised to find himself smiling slightly when he reached the end of the message. The last line she had written, that she wished that she had been able to meet him, touched something deep inside his lonely heart. Will hit the compose button and began his reply.

 _Hello,_

 _I'm sorry to hear about the difficulties with your father. Relationships with one's parents can be trying, especially when your opinions and ideas contradict their own. If you ever need someone to talk to, I'd be glad to listen._

 _How long have you and Lauren been friends? I know she cares a lot about you, otherwise, she wouldn't take it upon herself to meddle in your business, ha._

 _As far as books go, I, too, enjoyed 'Treasure Island.' I don't necessarily have a favorite genre, but my favorite authors are Tom Clancy and Stephen King. Have you thought any more about whether you're going to enlist or not?_

 _I wish I would have been able to meet you as well. However, we've met now (well, sort of), so the situation has been remedied. I am pleased to make your acquaintance, ma'am. *bows* :)_

 _Respectfully,_

 _Will_

 _OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO_

After Elizabeth had sent the message to Will, she stared up at the night sky, listening to the sound of the sea as she played a mental game of connect-the-dots with the constellations. She heard her email tone sound again and when she looked down at the screen, she saw another message from Will.

His email provoked several different thoughts and feelings as she read through it, and she laughed aloud when she read his closing line.

She quickly began her reply.

 _Do you ever sleep? I mean, seriously. You've got to be tired! Thanks for offering to listen…I really appreciate that. It means a lot._

 _Lauren and I have been friends since Kindergarten. I've become accustomed to her "meddling" ways, as you so succinctly put it, and I've come to recognize it for what it is - her way of showing she cares._

 _I enjoy a good Tom Clancy novel, too. I like a few of Stephen King's books, including The Green Mile and Storm of the Century, but most of his stuff keeps me up at night. Yep, that's right, I'm a wuss when it comes to horror._

 _I've given your advice a lot of thought. I've decided to go to college this fall, but I don't know what I want to study. My dad wants me to go to school for political science and eventually go on to law school, but that's not what I want for my life. I want a career that I'll enjoy. I honestly feel kind of adrift right now._

 _-Elizabeth_

Elizabeth sent the email off and stood to gather up her laptop before she made her way back into her room. She set her computer on the desk and headed down to the kitchen to get a snack.

When she reached the darkened kitchen, she located the container of cookie dough ice cream in the freezer and dished some up before returning back upstairs. She paused next to her desk to swipe her finger over the mousepad. As she had hoped, another email from Will awaited her.

 _OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO_

Will scrubbed a hand through his thick, dark hair, making it stand on end as he lay in his rack while reading Elizabeth's email. Although she hadn't flat-out stated it, he suspected, from what he had read, that she was struggling with some deeper issues beneath the surface, and he couldn't help but want to help her. He hit the reply button.

 _"Would you like to chat via instant messenger? It would be easier to talk that way…"_

Elizabeth was quick to respond. _"_ _Sure. My screen name is eSwan."_

Will closed his email and searched for her screen name on his instant messaging app. When he located it, he sent a contact request.

An approval notification popped up shortly after, along with a text from Elizabeth. _"_ _Hello."_

 _"Hello again,"_ Will replied. _"_ _Thanks for agreeing to chat with me. I thought it would be easier to talk this way, instead of over email. So, what are you up to this evening?"_

 _"Eating cookie dough ice cream. It's my favorite. :) You?"_

Will smiled at her honesty. Most women he knew wouldn't admit to eating anything even remotely fattening _. "_ _That sounds really good, actually. I'm just hanging out in my rack. Nothing too exciting."_

 _"_ _Aren't you tired?"_ she asked.

Will quickly typed a reply. _"Yes and no. I'm usually too keyed up right after work to sleep…especially today after training and P.T. How about you?"_

 _"_ _Not particularly._ _I fell asleep for a while after I got home from the beach with Lauren. I just want to say again that I appreciate your advice. Like I said in my email, I've given it a lot of thought,"_ she replied.

Will felt glad to know that his advice had been helpful, but he wanted to assist with the underlying issue if he could. _"It's no problem, really. I'm happy to help. Yes, you mentioned that your dad wants you to go to law school, but that it's not what you want. I think it's admirable that you recognize that. Many people don't, and they spend their lives doing something they hate as a result. Do you have any idea what you would like to do?"_

 _"_ _Thank you…I appreciate your vote of confidence. And, no. I don't know for sure what I want to major in. I've thought about just doing generals, but I want to get the wheel of my future rolling, you know? I don't like to do anything by halves, and college is no exception."_

Will lowered his head and rubbed the back of his neck as he considered how to reply. He'd learned through observation and experience that the only way a person could be truly happy with their career was by doing something they enjoyed and were passionate about. When he'd first joined the Navy, he had worked as a yeoman, and he'd hated every second of it. After his first two years in the service, he'd cross-rated to the engineman rate, and he'd never looked back. He loved to deconstruct things, to find a problem and fix it; to work with his hands and make something broken, work again. _"What are you passionate about, Elizabeth? What would you do every day, for the rest of your life, if you could? What type of work are you happiest doing?"_

 _"I volunteer at a nursing home and I love it. I enjoy working with the patients and helping them. Just being able to make their day a little brighter, makes me happy."_

Will was surprised by how quickly she'd responded. He had expected that she'd need a while to think it over. _"Have you considered becoming a nurse?"_

 _"_ _That's what I wanted to be when I was little,"_ Elizabeth replied. _"However, those dreams were trumped by my dad's own for me. But yes, nursing is a job that I'd love to do."_

An unfamiliar protective feeling crept into his heart when he read her words about her father's interference in her life. He wondered what kind of parent would crush their child's dreams in favor of their own agenda. Will shook his head in an attempt to dislodge his dark thoughts, and offered an encouraging reply, instead. _"See? A step in the right direction. The right direction being your own, that is."_

 _"Again, I owe you my thanks, Will. I'm making quite a habit of that."_

The corner of Will's mouth lifted in a half smile. _"You don't owe me anything…I'm just glad I could help."_ He raised a fist to his mouth to cover a yawn. The day seemed to be catching up with him. _"So, you said you enjoy Tom Clancy books as well…which one of his works is your favorite?"_

 _"'Without Remorse' is my favorite, but 'The Hunt for Red October' has its merits as well,"_ Elizabeth answered.

Will shook his head and grinned. _"'The Hunt for Red October has its merits?' Merits? It's arguably one of the best spy fiction stories ever written! I mean, not only was it the first Jack Ryan novel, but it inspired a whole generation of writers, too."_

 _"Hmm. Note to self: don't impugn the literary integrity of 'The Hunt for Red October' within earshot of Will Turner."_

Will laughed, and quickly clarified, _"I'm just giving you a hard time."_

Elizabeth's reply appeared almost immediately. _"So am I. ;)"_

Will gave a short laugh. _"Ah, touche, then. Do you want to chat again tomorrow morning? Well, tomorrow evening for you, I suppose."_

 _"I'd like that…I'll talk to you then. Goodnight, Will."_

 _"Goodnight, Elizabeth,"_ Will typed before snapping his laptop shut for the day. He couldn't remember the last time he'd enjoyed a conversation as much as he had that evening.

He wedged his computer between the mattress and the side of his rack and turned over to try to get some sleep.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

The following Thursday evening, Elizabeth returned from her volunteer shift at the nursing home with a light heart. Her father had left again at the beginning of the week, and that morning, before her shift had started, she had gone to the UVI admissions office and enrolled in the nursing program. For the first time since she could remember, she felt hopeful and excited about her future.

She had mulled over her conversation with Will for days. He'd made it sound so simple. When he'd asked what she was passionate about, and what type of work made her the happiest, she hadn't even had to think about the answer – it had come to mind immediately, surprising her with its clarity. That night, she'd wondered why it hadn't occurred to her before. She'd had her answer to that question just as quickly – aside from Will, she couldn't remember being asked by anyone what she wanted for her future, or what she was passionate about. She had, however, been told countless times what was _expected_ of her.

When Elizabeth logged on to her instant messaging app, Will was already online. They had chatted every night for the past week and a half.

A message from Will appeared on her screen almost immediately. _"Hello there. How was your day?"_

Elizabeth smiled, excited to tell him about her decision. _"Great! I went to the admissions office at UVI this morning and enrolled in the nursing program. I can't wait to start…I'm really looking forward to it!"_

 _"That's great news! I'm happy for you."_

Elizabeth kicked her tennis shoes off and picked up her laptop to head out to the balcony. When she was settled in on the chaise lounge, she replied, _"Thanks, so am I…for the first time in too long. So, I've thought of more questions to annoy you with, (insert evil laugh here)."_

 _"_ _Elizabeth, I don't think you could annoy me if you tried. I enjoy your questions, and I look forward to our conversations,"_ Will replied.

Elizabeth felt warmth rise to her face and she smiled. _"That sounds like a challenge, Mr. Turner. ;)"_

Will's reply popped up below hers. _"If I agree that it is a challenge, does it mean I'd be able to talk to you more often?"_

Elizabeth shook her head in response to his teasing. _"Naturally."_

 _"Then, yes, consider it a challenge,"_ he confirmed.

 _"Well, then, in that case, I'll begin. In all your travels, what's been your favorite place to visit_ _?"_ Elizabeth looked up from her computer and gazed out at the clear blue of the Caribbean. When her notification tone sounded, she returned her attention to the screen to read Will's reply.

 _"_ _I think every place has its merits. However, my ship's home port of Japan is probably my favorite. Japanese culture is incredibly interesting. Australia is my second choice. How about you?"_

Elizabeth gave his question a few moments of thought. _"This is probably going to sound incredibly boring, but I like home best. I enjoy traveling and experiencing new places, but I'm always eager to get home. I miss the sea when I'm away from it. I think it's the most beautiful place in the world, too."_

 _"I understand,"_ Will answered. _"Where you're from always has a pull on you. And, I agree that the Virgin Islands are beautiful. I'm looking forward to coming home."_

Elizabeth's eyebrows rose. _"That's right. Your enlistment is almost up, isn't it? What do you plan to do afterward?"_ She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of the sunlight on her face as she awaited his reply.

 _"Well, my enlistment is up in December, but I have a month of leave that I need to use, so I should be home by the beginning of November. My friend, Jack, will be coming home then, too. We enlisted together and were fortunate enough to serve on the same ship. He's from St. Croix, as well. Our plan is to open an automotive shop in Charlotte Amalie."_

Elizabeth's eyes widened in surprise. _"That's great news! So, you'll be moving to St. Thomas then, and not back to St. Croix?"_

 _"Well,"_ Will replied _,_ _"initially I'll go back to St. Croix. My house is there, in Christiansted, so I'll stay there until I can find an apartment in Charlotte Amalie. After I locate an apartment, I plan to rent my house out for some extra income. Jack's dad is scouting out available shop space for us at the moment."_

Elizabeth nodded, impressed by his plans. _"It sounds like you've got it all figured out. I think it's a great idea."_ Her message tone sounded almost immediately as another message from Will popped up on her screen.

 _"Can I ask you something that's none of my business?"_

Elizabeth's brow furrowed. _"_ _Sure."_ She nervously chewed her thumbnail as she awaited his question.

 _"Okay. Don't worry, it's nothing too serious. I know you've enrolled in the nursing program, and I'm really happy for you, but I'm curious…why did you consider enlisting in the Navy as an option in the first place?"_

"Well, that's a loaded question," Elizabeth muttered to herself. She squared her shoulders and began to type her reply. _"_ _To sum up: I wanted to get away from my father and take control of my own future."_

 _"_ _So, a means to an end?"_ Will inquired.

Elizabeth sighed heavily. _"I suppose, when you put it that way, it sounds quite awful of me, doesn't it?"_

Shortly, Will's reply appeared beneath hers. _"No, not at all. Don't ever be afraid to stand up for what you believe in, Elizabeth. I don't know you well, but I can tell that you're strong. Use that strength to realize your dreams."_

Elizabeth drew strength and courage from his words as she read them, and took them to heart. _"Thanks for believing in me…that's exactly what I plan to do."_ She stifled a yawn with her hand. _"Well, I hate to say this, but I'm going to grab some dinner and then go to bed. I promised to be at the nursing home by 4:30 tomorrow morning to help set up for the July birthday breakfast for the residents. It's something we do on the first Friday of each month for the residents who will celebrate birthdays during the month. I'll talk to you tomorrow evening if that's okay…"_

 _"I'm already looking forward to it. Good night, Elizabeth. Sweet dreams."_

Elizabeth smiled softly to herself as she typed her final reply of the evening. _"Same to you."_

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

Will opened his eyes and stretched out on his rack as much as the small space would allow. It had been his night off, and he'd actually managed to get a full eight hours of sleep. He'd be glad when he had a place of his own again. For the past four years, the only privacy afforded to him or space to call his own had been in the confines of his narrow bunk. Less than three months, he told himself. It was the end of the first week of August, and he already had it arranged with his command to fly out the first of November.

He lifted his laptop from where it rested against the side of his rack and propped it up on his chest, only opening the screen part way so that it didn't hit the metal bottom of the bunk above him. It was 0500, and Elizabeth wouldn't be online for at least another hour. They had chatted nearly every day for the past month and a half.

Will had begun to feel different over the course of the past six weeks. His whole outlook had changed, in fact. Before, the days had been a monotonous means to an end, but lately, even the mundane became something he could share with Elizabeth. It was a feeling he'd never experienced before.

His contact list finally loaded, and, even though he knew Elizabeth probably wouldn't be online, he checked, anyway. She wasn't, but Lauren was. His cousin hadn't been online in nearly a week. His message tone sounded. It was from Lauren.

 _"Hello there! Sorry I've been M.I.A. lately. I've been getting ready for classes – I can't believe they start in less than three weeks!"_

Will popped his headphones in and turned on his music before he typed a reply. _"That must be pretty exciting. Do you have everything ready?"_

Lauren replied almost immediately _._ _"Yep! All set to go. And you're coming home in less than three months – I'd say this is shaping up to be an epic year!"_

Will smiled as he typed, _"I agree. How's Elizabeth doing?"_ He and Lauren hadn't discussed Elizabeth much, but he knew that her father was due to come home the following day, and he was concerned about how she was holding up under the impending pressure of revealing her plans to him.

 _"She's great. Her dad comes tomorrow though, and I don't think she's looking forward to that. She averted a near-catastrophe yesterday. We were out for a walk and she was so absorbed in taking a picture of a bird alongside the trail that she almost stepped on a monstrous centipede. She would've, too, but luckily, I noticed it before she did and pulled her away from it. It was big enough that the flip-flops she was wearing wouldn't have made a bit of difference. I've never seen one so big before. Just…ugh. I usually let her learn her own lessons, but when it comes to venomous arthropods, I make an exception."_

Will grimaced. " _I'm glad to hear the danger was averted. You said you usually let her learn her own lessons…does that mean that this sort of thing happens often?"_ While he awaited Lauren's reply, he opened his computer's web browser to search for apartments in Charlotte Amalie. He raised an eyebrow when several minutes had passed. Either Lauren had left her computer, or she was writing a novel of a response. Finally, after a few more moments, his messenger tone sounded.

 _"Don't get me wrong here, Elizabeth is brilliant, when it comes to academics, and she's my best friend, and I love her, however, she definitely has her moments. I have so many stories. One time, at the end of our junior year, she snuck out and we went with some classmates to a party on the other side of the island. Well, a guy, asked her if she wanted some orange juice and when she said she did, he handed her a cup. Elizabeth was just getting over a cold at the time, and she couldn't smell it, so, thinking it was juice, she tipped back a full screwdriver and drank the entire thing. When she remarked that it tasted funny, the guy who had given her the drink told her that the salt and vinegar potato chips she was eating at the time must have affected her taste buds. To sum up, she believed him and drank six more throughout the course of the evening. She was so drunk that she passed out on the beach. I had to call her housekeeper to help me get her home."_

Will slowly shook his head as he read Lauren's message. He'd had a similar experience in Thailand once, courtesy of Jack. That was one night he preferred to forget. _"That could happen to anyone. I mean, if she really thought it was orange juice…"_

Lauren replied with a raised-eyebrow emoji. _"If it would have been anyone else, maybe. But, allow me to present 'Exhibit B.' You know that song, 'Rock Star' by Nickelback?"_

Will had no idea where Lauren's next story was going, but he responded, _"Yes…"_

 _"Will, I had to explain to her what the 'Mile High Club' was…in great detail…before she understood it."_

Will laughed and scrubbed a hand over his eyes before he replied. _"Oh. Wow, Lauren, I'm not sure further comment from me on this topic would be entirely appropriate."_

 _"Ha, yeah. Sorry about that,"_ Lauren apologized. _"However, to be fair that incident was a few years ago. She's gotten a lot better over the past two years. Well, other than the recent Navy and centipede escapades, that is. Her dad is really overbearing. He tries to control her life and she's always just complied because she hasn't really had any other choice but to do so. She puts on a happy façade, but I can tell that it bothers her a lot more than she lets on. Lately, though, she's been standing up for herself. I think she's finally realized that she doesn't have to be a pawn."_

Will took a deep breath. He was really beginning to dislike Elizabeth's father. Although Elizabeth hadn't said anything about it, a simple web search had confirmed Jack's suspicions that he was the one and only, Governor Weatherby Swan. From the sound of it, he wasn't only a political tyrant, but a domestic one as well. _"So, I have to ask, where were you during the orange juice and vodka incident? Why didn't you stop her?"_

Lauren quickly replied, _"I warned her, but she didn't listen. I figured it was a lesson she needed to learn on her own."_

Will frowned. Sometimes Lauren's methods of dealing with situations left much to be desired. He replied with a face-palm emoji.

 _"What?!"_ Lauren exclaimed. _"It was effective! She never did it again!"_

Will shook his head as he typed. _"Something could have happened to her, Lauren. What if someone had taken advantage of her?"_

 _"I was with her the entire time, watching out for her, Will. Chillax."_

Will's jaw clenched. He knew his annoyance with Lauren was irrational, but he couldn't help it. The thought of anything happening to Elizabeth bothered him. He had grown to care for his cousin's beautiful, kind, and vivacious friend over the past six weeks. His messenger tone sounded again, and he returned his attention to the screen.

 _"Oh, my gosh! You LIKE her, don't you?"_ Lauren asked.

Will's eyebrows shot up, and a frown pulled at the corners of his mouth. _Had he been that obvious_ _?_ he wondered. _"What of it?"_ he typed before he returned to his apartment search. He scrolled through the page of listings until his message alert sounded again.

 _"Will, don't get me wrong, I love Elizabeth like a sister, but her dad is really controlling, not to mention powerful. He's the governor."_

Will ran a hand through his hair in mild frustration. _"I worked that out for myself."_

 _"Look,"_ Lauren replied, _"I'd like nothing more than to see the two people I care about most in the world, end up together, but I'm concerned. Her dad doesn't take kindly to people interfering in his plans, and I'd hate for you to get caught in the middle of it. I'm honestly a little bit afraid for Elizabeth. I don't know how he'll react when she tells him she enrolled in the nursing program instead of pre-law. My parents said she can stay here with us if she needs to."_

Lauren's words about Elizabeth's father's treatment of her infuriated Will. A muscle in his jaw ticked as the feeling of protectiveness he felt for her nearly overwhelmed him. He wished more than anything that he could be there to support her, to confront her father, himself, in Elizabeth's stead if needed. _"It's Elizabeth's right to choose what she wants to do with her life. She's strong. I know she is. And I'll do what I can to help her see that. She deserves happiness, and I intend to do whatever I can to see that she gets it."_

 _"Have you told Elizabeth how you feel?"_ Lauren asked.

Will took a deep breath before he replied. _"_ _No, I haven't."_

 _"Do you plan to?"_

Will ran a hand over his face. _"Someday, maybe. I want to see how things go when I return. I don't want to push her into anything. Please don't say anything, Lauren."_

It was several moments before Lauren replied _,_ _"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. You're a good man, Will Turner. Just make sure you're going into this with your eyes open."_

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOOooOOO

Elizabeth sat on the warm sand of the beach with her legs stretched out in front of her, just out of reach of the surf. She closed her eyes and imagined the tide pulling her worries and cares out to sea with it. Her father was due to come home the next day, and she planned to inform him of her plans for school. When the alarm tone on her phone sounded, she pulled it out of her pocket and glanced at the screen. It was 6:15. Will would be online in about 15 minutes. She stood up and brushed the sand off her shorts and turned to jog up the hill to the house.

She and Will had chatted nearly every night for the past six weeks. He'd sent her several more photos of the sea and different sights around the ship. He had even sent one of a dolphin, racing alongside the carrier. There had been a couple of his friend Jack, too – she still wondered how he managed to get away with wearing eyeliner in the Navy. She'd asked Will, but he'd had no idea either. Will had only said that Jack managed to get away with a lot of things and that he lived in near-constant dread of the inevitable day when one of their chiefs would discover that the brown liquid in Jack's coffee cup was rum, instead of java. Elizabeth laughed softly at the memory as she reached the driveway and climbed the steps to the house.

She had just crossed the foyer and reached the first step of the staircase when she heard hurried footsteps behind her. She turned to see Dominica, striding toward her, a determined look on her face. She held a white envelope in her hand.

"Missy!" Dominica bellowed, using the name she most often did when addressing Elizabeth. She stopped in front of her and held up the envelope with a return address from the University of the Virgin Islands School of Nursing printed in the upper left corner. Dominica handed the envelope to Elizabeth and placed her hands on her hips. She raised an eyebrow and nodded toward the piece of paper. "Dat came in da mail for you today. You's going to tell yuh fahddah about yuh school plans when he comes home tomorrow, right?"

Elizabeth swallowed hard and nodded. She took a deep breath and released it slowly, as she mentally pushed away the encroaching feeling of dread. Over the past several weeks, the determination to follow her own dreams had cemented itself within her heart. "Yes, ma'am," she nodded.

Dominica smiled, pride shining from her eyes. "I's very proud of you, Missy." She gently poked Elizabeth in the middle of the chest as she said, "You follow yuh heart, and don't let nobody tell you otherwise. It won't lead you astray." She motioned toward the stairs with her head. "Now, get on up deh, to yuh room – dat handsome man you talk to every night is probably wondering where you are."

Elizabeth smiled and gave her former nanny a tight hug. "Thank you for supporting me."

Dominica's dark brown eyes were suspiciously shiny when Elizabeth released her from the hug. "Ah, you girl," Dominica chided with a soft smile as she shook her head, "get on up deh, now." With that, she turned and bustled into the parlor, leaving Elizabeth alone in the foyer.

Elizabeth turned and made her way to her room. She set the envelope on her desk and opened her laptop. Will was already online. _"Hey there,"_ she typed in greeting.

 _"How's it going today?"_ Will asked.

Elizabeth quickly emptied the pockets of her jean shorts, the contents of which included several intact shells, and placed them on her desk before she sat down to answer Will's message. _"_ _Good. Just got back from the beach. My dad comes home tomorrow. Alas, the dreaded college conversation approaches."_

 _"_ _I promise, it'll all work out, one way or another. Can you do me a favor?"_

Elizabeth toyed with the end of her braid as she read Will's message. _"Most likely,"_ she replied.

 _"Promise me that, during your conversation with your dad, you'll remember that you deserve happiness,"_ he answered.

Elizabeth smiled and stared at his words for a few moments. Over the course of the past month and a half, Will had helped her find her courage and strength. She knew she could never repay him for that. What she could do though, was show him that she had taken his advice to heart. _"I promise."_

 _"_ _On a more positive note, we are due to pull into port at Yokosuka early tomorrow morning, which means that I'll hopefully have a faster internet connection. Would it be okay if I call you on Skype tomorrow?"_

Elizabeth's heart gave a nervous flutter at the thought of talking with Will over video chat. She took a deep breath and placed her cool palm against her heated cheek in an attempt to cool her flushed face. _"I'd like that…"_ _she finally replied._

 _"Are you sure?"_ Will asked. _"There was quite a delay in your response…I don't want to push you to do something you don't want to do…"_

Elizabeth swallowed her nerves and replied, _"No, I really do. Sorry for the delay."_

 _"Okay, just making sure_ _."_

Elizabeth smiled. _"In fact, I wouldn't miss it."_

They talked for two more hours before Will had to excuse himself to go to sleep. _"Goodnight, Elizabeth. Good luck with everything tomorrow. Because we're arriving in port, I'll probably be online a little later than usual, so I'll call you around 10 p.m. your time. I'm looking forward to being able to talk with you, face-to-face. Sweet dreams."_

A soft smile touched Elizabeth's lips as she replied, _"Sounds good. I can't wait to see you. Goodnight, Will."_ She was just preparing to exit the messenger app when her alert tone sounded again.

 _"Oh, and Elizabeth?"_ Will asked.

Elizabeth's eyebrows furrowed as she typed. _"_ _Yes?"_

 _"Watch out for giant centipedes, from now on, okay?"_ Will's status changed to offline, immediately after she read the message.

Elizabeth's eyes widened in embarrassment. She was going to _kill_ Lauren.

 _OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO_

Will rolled his head to the side to stretch his neck. It was sore from spending so much time on his laptop in the cramped confines of his rack that morning while talking to Elizabeth.

"This watch is never going to end, mate," Jack grumbled next to him.

"It's looking that way," Will replied as he studied a monitor to check the generator status.

Jack turned to scan the shop. "Isn't Taylor supposed to be bringing that coffee?"

"Yep, he should be on his way," Will confirmed, moving to check a gauge.

Jack studied his fingernails. "Have you told your family about our plan for the automotive shop?"

Will looked up from the gauge to face his friend. "Yes, actually. Some time ago, in fact." He raised his eyebrows and grinned. "Have you told Anamaria?"

Jack lifted his head to look at Will, his nose wrinkled with distaste. "She said she'd kill me if I reenlist, and I know her well enough to believe her, so I told her about it just to get her off my back."

Will gave a hard laugh. "I believe her, too." Jack's girlfriend was beautiful and kind but had a notoriously terrifying bad side. In their years of growing up together, Will had learned not to cross her.

Jack leaned back against a rail and crossed his arms over his chest. "My dad said he'd be happy to back us, but with what we've saved up together since we enlisted, we'll have enough to put half down on a shop and still have enough in savings to live on for a while, until we have a steady clientele."

"One of the few advantages of living on the ship for four years and not spending money, I suppose," Will agreed. He'd saved nearly every cent he'd earned, only spending money on necessities and occasional entertainment. Poverty was something he didn't wish to experience again, and he was determined to make the best future for himself that he possibly could.

Jack yawned. "I'm not going to make it through midwatch without coffee. I wonder what's taking Taylor so long? Bloody nub," Jack grumbled.

Will shook his head. "Hey, come on, we've all been there. Give the guy a break."

Jack curled the edge of his lip up in grudging agreement. "I suppose your right."

Will's mind wandered as he stared blankly at the gray deck of the shop. He was greatly looking forward to his video call with Elizabeth in the morning. He just hoped the internet service would be fast enough.

"Why are you so pensive?" Jack asked, interrupting Will's thoughts.

Will blinked. "What do you mean?"

Jack smirked. "I mean, ever since you've started talking to this _girl_ , you've been alternately mentally absent, defensive, or in a better mood than usual."

Will's jaw tightened in annoyance. "There's no one on my mind, Jack," he lied.

Jack gave him a withering look. "So that's why you've been staring off into the distance, smiling when you think no one's looking and snapping pictures of ridiculous things like dolphins and rainbows when you're out on the sponson?"

Will frowned in frustration. Jack's spot-on observations were downright unnerving at times. After his mom had died, Jack had invited him over for supper every night. Will had initially refused the offer, not wanting to take handouts from anyone, but Jack had talked him into it. Although Will had never told his friend that he couldn't afford food, Jack had noticed the subtle changes that hunger had caused in him and had taken action. Will shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Jack gave him a knowing look. Luckily for Will, the sound of footsteps interrupted whatever remark he was about to make.

They both turned to see Taylor walking through the shop, coffee in hand.

"Finally," Jack rolled his eyes as he grabbed his cup from the tall, blond, junior sailor.

"Thanks," Will said, taking his own cup.

Jack took a drag of his coffee. "What took you so long, mate? Get lost?"

Taylor shook his head. "Nope. Chief Shaffer stopped me and told me to report for mail buoy watch. I told him that I'm well aware that the mail is delivered by C-2s when we're underway, and that unless he wanted me to go topside to watch for the plane, I'd like to request permission to carry on. His left eye just sort of twitched and he handed me his coffee mug and told me to refill it." He sighed and shook his head again. "To tell you the truth, I'll be glad when all this menial initiation crap is over."

Will gave Taylor a sympathetic look. "Hang in there. How are your quals coming?"

Taylor shrugged. "Slow but sure. If you don't need anything else, I'm going to get back to it."

Jack gave a nod to the junior sailor, and, with a straight face said, "Sure, mate, right after you feed the shaft seals."

Taylor sighed. "But, uh, the shaft seals are actually a series of interlocks and safety mechanisms that ensure the integrity surrounding the ship's main propulsion shaft, and _not_ nautical mammals." He shrugged. "But I'll go feed 'em if you want."

Will raised an eyebrow as he regarded Taylor with a thoughtful expression. "Hmm, the Force is strong with this one."

"Thank you, Petty Officer," Taylor replied before he turned to leave.

"Hey, shipmate!" Will called after him. When Taylor tiredly turned to face them again, Will continued with a half smile, "I told you, don't call me petty officer. It's EN2 or Turner."

Taylor gave a single nod. "Okay," he paused and gestured toward Jack, "but why does EN3 Sparrow-"

" _Petty Officer_ Sparrow," Jack interrupted, lifting his forefinger.

Taylor gave his head a slight shake. "Why does _he_ insist I call him Petty Officer and you don't, even though _you_ outrank _him_?"

Will grinned. "I don't have as much to compensate for."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Don't believe him." He lowered his voice to a whisper and jerked a thumb in Will's direction. "He's a eunuch. Lovely singing voice, though."

Taylor shook his head and walked away.

"You know," Will began, turning to Jack, "you're going to say the wrong thing to the wrong person one of these days, Jack. And I really hope I'm there to see it."

Jack shrugged. "Nubs," he muttered in annoyance. "Oops! I hope the nickname police didn't hear that! We're not supposed to use that term anymore," he exclaimed in a sarcastic tone.

Will took a deep breath and struggled not to roll his eyes. From the sound of it, Jack was about to go on one of his rants. "You know, being a dick isn't a leadership style, Jack. Maybe, if you'd remember that, your evals would look a lot better."

Jack ignored Will's comment and waved a hand through the air. "Why can't we call them nubs anymore? I mean, we call them a lot worse things, now that we can't call them nubs. Non-Usable Body. What was so bloody oppressive about that?"

Will shrugged. "Well, probably because they _are_ usable, just not _as_ usable as someone who's qualified."

Jack gave his head a shake. "So, should we call them LUBs? _Less Usable Bodies_?"

Will sighed and turned back to the monitor to check equipment readings.

Jack grinned and smacked Will on the shoulder with the back of his hand. "I know, mate."

Will raised an eyebrow and turned to look at his friend.

Jack rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "How about we call them Currently Unqualified Naval Trainees?" He nodded to himself and gave a short laugh. "Yes, I think that'll do nicely."

Will paused for an instant to put the acronym together before he squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger as he shook his head. This watch just couldn't end soon enough.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello there. As you can see, there'll be no Sailor-to-English translations needed for this chapter (you're welcome) ;). We won't be making any significant time jumps, either. We _do_ , however, learn that one of our characters isn't such a bad fellow, after all. Hang in there – Will returns home to the V.I.'s in the next chapter, and the pace will start to pick up a bit more after that. **

**Thanks for reading! Reviews are much appreciated!**

 **Chapter 4**

" _I CAME TO GET DOWN, I CAME TO GET DOWN – SCREEEEEE – SO GET OUT YOUR SEAT AND JUMP AROUND! – SCREEEEE – JUMP AROUND! – SCREEEEE – JUMP AROUND!"_

The sound of Lauren's obnoxious ringtone jerked Elizabeth from a sound sleep. She sat up and frantically fumbled for her phone on the nightstand. "Hello?" she answered in a groggy voice, while she pressed her free hand over her racing heart.

" _What are you doing right now?"_ Lauren asked in a no-nonsense tone.

"Sleeping. What time is it?" Elizabeth pulled the phone away from her ear to check the time display. It was 7:30 a.m.

" _It's 7:30,"_ Lauren confirmed.

Elizabeth rubbed a hand over her tired eyes. She had spent the majority of the night before rehearsing what she planned to say to her father and making contingency plans. As a result, she hadn't fallen asleep until well past four in the morning. "Why, Lauren?" she groaned.

Lauren ignored her question. _"Meet me at the beach at eight, okay? We need to talk."_

Elizabeth flopped back on her pillow. "Okay, fine. I'll see you then." The line went silent and, thinking Lauren had hung up, she allowed her eyes to drift shut.

She bolted upright when her friend's loud voice shouted over the speaker, _"Elizabeth! Get up! Don't go back to sleep again."_

Elizabeth stood up and ran a hand through her tangled hair before she shuffled across her room toward the bathroom. "I'm up, I'm up! I'll see you at eight."

Twenty-five minutes later, Elizabeth descended the steep, sandy path in front of her house, to the beach. Lauren was already there, sitting in the sand, facing the sea. Elizabeth plopped down next to her. "What?"

Lauren turned her head to glance at Elizabeth. "You look like hell."

Elizabeth straightened the gray tank top that she'd thrown on over the red sports bra and plaid shorts she'd slept in. "I'm not the one who woke me up at 7:30 after I'd only had three hours of sleep," she retorted, in an annoyed tone.

A guilty look flitted across Lauren's features before she assumed her normal unflappable expression. "Well, my apologies, but I needed to talk to you. What time does your dad get home?"

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "His flight arrives at noon."

Lauren picked up a handful of sand and watched it filter through her slim fingers, back onto the beach. "I really hope it goes well. You're doing the right thing, Elizabeth. Don't forget that."

Elizabeth gave her a tired smile. "I have a plan. I stayed up most of the night imagining every possible way things could go wrong. I think I've worked out every scenario." She shrugged. "I'm just ready for it to be over with."

Lauren nodded. "Hmm…yeah, I can imagine." She threw the remainder of the sand into the surf and dusted her palms off on her shorts. "Well, just remember, you can always stay with us if you need to."

Elizabeth preferred not to think about what would happen if the conversation with her father didn't go well. She drew a deep, calming breath before she answered. "Thank you for that." She eyed Lauren, who stared blankly ahead at the horizon. Elizabeth could tell there was something else on her friend's mind. "So, why did you really want to talk to me?"

Lauren's eyes narrowed a little as if she were deciding how best to phrase whatever it was she had to say. While keeping her eyes focused on the sea, she asked, "Have you talked to Will lately?"

The question caught Elizabeth off guard. Lauren rarely brought up the subject of her cousin, and hadn't at all, in fact, since the day after she'd insisted Elizabeth email him more than six weeks ago. "I chatted with him last night. We text back and forth on instant messenger most evenings. He said they're pulling into port today, so he wants to do a video chat with me tonight."

Lauren turned to face her then, and in a calm voice, asked, "Elizabeth, don't take this the wrong way, but what the hell are you doing?"

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes in confusion. She had no idea what Lauren was referring to. "I don't understand what you mean."

Lauren tilted her head to the side and pursed her lips. "I _mean_ , what's going on between you and my cousin?"

Elizabeth blinked, nonplussed. "There's nothing going on, Lauren. We've just been talking." She paused to sort through her jumbled thoughts for any memory of something she may have said or done to give Lauren the impression that there _was_ anything going on between her and Will. She came up blank. "Why?"

Lauren took a deep breath and released it slowly. "Hear me out, okay? I'm just concerned. About both of you." She picked up Elizabeth's hand and gave it a warm squeeze. "I don't know how you feel about Will, and I fully realize that I am overstepping here, but it's only because I care, okay?"

Elizabeth gave her a wary nod.

Lauren continued, "Let's just say, hypothetically, that both of you hit it off really well when he comes home in November, and you, by some odd twist of fate that I'd rather not think about because you're my best friend and he's my cousin, and just, ugh. It's almost as bad as thinking about my parents." Lauren screwed her eyes shut and rapidly shook her head as if to clear the disagreeable thought from her mind. "Anyway, let's just say that things work out and you two start dating. How can that possibly end well, Elizabeth? Your dad would never approve of Will. You know that. And leading him on would be beyond wrong. You're going to have to ask yourself beforehand if you'd be happy with him, _and_ if you'd be willing to stand up to, and possibly alienate, your family and the life you know for him. Try as he might, and, knowing Will, he'd do so until it killed him, he can't give you the kind of lifestyle you're used to, and I don't want him to get hurt as a result. I don't want you to get hurt either. I realize that this sounds horrible, and I'm sorry, but I just want to get it out of the way before things go anywhere between the two of you."

Elizabeth's heart dropped to her stomach as she listened to Lauren in growing disbelief. Anger and pain boiled up inside her. She fisted her hands in her lap so tightly that they began to tremble. "Do you really think I'm that shallow?"

Lauren slowly shook her head. "Elizabeth, that's not what I w-"

Elizabeth gave her an incredulous look and pounded the sand with a tightly-clenched fist. "Apparently, it is! You _just implied_ that you think that if Will and I ever were to date, that I'd leave him and hurt him because he wouldn't be able to give me material things! Do you _really think that matters to me_?" Years of pent up loneliness and longing for someone to give a damn about her erupted, and she had to pause to take a shaky breath before she continued. "I've spent my life longing for love from a parent who's never around and who, I'm half-convinced, only sees me as a pawn, all the while missing one who's _dead_ , Lauren! If there's anyone who knows that material comforts and possessions are a poor substitute for a loving relationship, it's _me_ ," she nearly shouted. "I don't give a _damn_ about _things!_ "

Lauren's eyes widened slightly, but a corner of her mouth twitched up with the barest hint of a smile. "There we go. See, that wasn't so hard now, was it?"

Elizabeth's pulse pounded in her ears. She directed a glare toward her friend. "What do you mean?" she demanded, through clenched teeth.

Lauren shrugged. "Two things." She held up her index finger. "One, I knew there was no way I would be able to get you to admit to your feelings for Will by asking you straight up how you felt about him. Two, I wanted to know exactly how far you're willing to go to make a relationship work, should one arise from this."

Elizabeth's jaw dropped. She quickly stood and walked a few paces away to calm down before she said something else she'd regret. She knew that Lauren would never intentionally hurt her, but her words still stung. After her anger had ebbed enough to allow for rational thought, Elizabeth mentally conceded that, to an extent, Lauren was right on both counts. She wouldn't have admitted her feelings to her, had she asked, and, until now, she herself hadn't been aware of just how much Will had come to mean to her. The full realization of her feelings for him hit her with surprising force, and she laid a hand over her heart as it gave a heavy thump in her chest.

Lauren's method of extracting information, however, left much to be desired. Elizabeth waited a few more moments until her pulse had slowed to a normal rate before she returned to sit beside her friend. " _You_ are a manipulative _wench_ , you know," she grumbled, dropping her head into her hands. She scrubbed her palms over her face. "Have _you_ ever thought about becoming an attorney? Good Lord. You'd have the defendant pleading guilty to all charges before the trial even got underway. You make Natalia Romanova's methods of extracting information look like child's play."

Lauren leaned over and gave Elizabeth a tight hug. "I _am_ sorry. I just needed to know. And I really am concerned. For both of you. But just know, that I'd support you. Even though it'd be weirder than I can imagine." Lauren shook her head. "Also know that I will kill you if you ever hurt Will. Conversely, I wouldn't hesitate to castrate him, if he ever tried anything."

Elizabeth pulled away and eyed her friend warily. "Sometimes, you are truly terrifying. You know that, don't you?"

Lauren grinned and flipped her dark hair. "Of course, darling."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "But there's nothing going on between us, so let's not worry about that right now. Besides," she shrugged, "he probably just feels obligated to talk to me because I'm your friend."

Lauren laughed. "I can practically guarantee you, that that's not how he feels."

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed as she studied Lauren's expression. "There's something you're not telling me."

"It's time for me to go," Lauren suddenly announced as she quickly rose to her feet and glanced at her watch.

"There _is_ something you're not telling me!" Elizabeth exclaimed. She stood and followed Lauren across the beach to the footpath that led up the hill to the driveway.

"Nope. I just have to get home. I promised my mom I'd stop by the market before I go to work," Lauren insisted. When they reached the top of the hill, she stopped next to her car and opened the door.

Elizabeth grabbed her arm. "Hey, wait a minute! I'm not finished. I have a bit of a bone to pick with you, Miss Turner."

Lauren turned and gave her a carefully neutral look. "Yes…"

Elizabeth pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her chest. "Speaking of Will, what exactly did you tell him about the centipede incident? How did that even come up?"

Lauren's eyes widened in alarm for a moment before she mastered her expression. "It just came up in conversation. Don't worry. He asked what we'd been up to, and I told him about our hike," she said with a shrug and a tight smile.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow and continued to stare at her friend. Knowing Lauren, that wasn't the only thing she'd told him. Thoughts of her other indiscretions flooded her mind then, and she felt her face heat up with embarrassment.

Lauren grinned, confirming her fears. "Let me know how it goes with your dad today, okay?"

Elizabeth closed her eyes and shook her head.

Lauren's smile turned smug. "Have fun talking to Will."

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

Elizabeth paced restlessly across the thick carpet in the hall outside the door of her father's study. He had arrived earlier in the afternoon but had been on a conference call ever since. She paused to listen at the door. When she heard only silence, she raised her hand and knocked.

"Come in," came his muffled reply.

With confidence she didn't feel, Elizabeth stepped into the room. Her father sat, bent over a stack of papers behind a massive, walnut desk, his form silhouetted by the afternoon sunlight that streamed in through the large windows behind him. He looked up when Elizabeth stopped in front of the desk.

"How's it going?" she asked.

He smiled in reply. "Very well, thank you."

She uneasily shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "Do you have a minute?"

He leaned back in his chair and nodded, steepling his fingers together in front of his chest. "Of course, what's on your mind?"

"It's about school," Elizabeth began.

"Ah, yes," her father interrupted with a slight smile. "You must be anxious to begin. Law is a fascinating career field."

"That's the thing. I'm not going to go to school for prelaw, Dad. I've given it a lot of thought, and I enrolled in the nursing program, instead." Her heart began to hammer in her chest. She'd dreaded saying those words all summer, and now that all the chips were down, she felt more anxious than she'd expected to feel as she awaited his response. She watched myriad emotions flit over his features. Confusion, betrayal – that one pierced her heart – and then, finally, anger.

Weatherby Swan rarely yelled, but he did this time. " _You did what_?" he thundered.

Elizabeth forced a smile to her lips. "It's what I want to do, Dad. I love volunteering at the nursing home and helping people. I don't want to be a lawyer."

Her father leaned forward in his chair, his eyes boring into hers. "How can you possibly know that you don't want to be a lawyer when you haven't even given law school a chance? Elizabeth, you've been planning this for years!" He accentuated the last word by slamming his palm against the desktop.

Elizabeth took a step closer to the edge of the desk and rested her fingertips on the wooden surface. "No, that's what _you've_ been planning. Those are _your_ dreams and wishes for me. But what about _my_ dreams? Don't I get a say in my future?"

Her father sighed deeply and closed his eyes for a moment. In a calmer voice, he continued, "Elizabeth, you're my only child. I just want what's best for you."

Disappointment filled her, and she felt her chest constrict. She shook her head and forced the words past the lump that had formed in her throat. "No, you don't. You want what's best for you. If you really cared about what's best for me, then you'd allow me to choose something I'll be happy doing."

"I _do_ want you to be happy, Elizabeth. I just don't want you to make a series of poor decisions that will jeopardize your future!" he insisted with vehemence.

Elizabeth brought her hands to her chest and pressed them over her heart. "Exactly! _My_ future! I want to do something that I know I'll _love_ for the rest of my life. Money isn't everything!"

Her father scoffed. "You only say that because you've never been without it."

Elizabeth shook her head. She had vowed to herself that she would remain calm, but he was making it extremely difficult. "Neither have you, so how would you know? Lauren's parents work all of the time to make ends meet, but you know what? They enjoy their work, and their relationship with each other is happy and loving, Dad! That's what I want. That's what I _need_."

His lips thinned into a hard, unyielding line. "You don't know what you're talking about!" He lowered his eyes to his desk, and in a softer tone, continued, "You're too young to understand. Do you think I want to watch my daughter perform backbreaking work, day in and day out, for a menial wage?"

Elizabeth squared her shoulders and took a deep breath, willing the churning sea of emotion rising within her to calm. "I understand what you're saying," she began in a tightly controlled voice, "and I appreciate your concern. But I've enrolled in the nursing program. It's what I want to do – what I _need_ to do – and I _am_ going to do it."

Her father's civil veneer vanished, and he slammed his fist down on the desk and stood. "Not while you're living under _my_ roof, you're not! I'll not allow you to make a mockery of everything our family has built over generations. If you continue on this course, your selfishness will do _exactly_ that! We have standards and duties to uphold, Elizabeth, and as my only child and heir, it's high time you start taking responsibility for your part in this family's legacy!"

Elizabeth's eyes widened, and her head snapped back as though he had slapped her. Her heart dropped into her stomach. She realized then just how much hope she'd had that he would support her goals. She grasped onto what remained of her composure before she answered in as level a voice as she could manage, "I understand and respect that. But also, understand that by doing this, I _am_ taking responsibility for my future. If you won't agree to allow me to make my own choices while living here, I'll move out."

Her father's eyes narrowed. "Where will you go? You don't have a job or money."

Elizabeth gave a short nod. "I have a plan." Rather than stoke his ire even more by continuing to argue, she gave him a tight smile instead. Despite his flaws, he was her only living parent - the only family she had - and she didn't want to alienate or hurt him any more than necessary. "Have a good evening, Dad." With that, she turned and left the study and made her way through the house and out to the driveway. After she'd climbed into the driver's seat of her SUV and shut the door, she gripped the steering wheel tightly and briefly closed her eyes before she flipped the gearshift into drive and headed to the nursing home for a meeting with the director.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

Dinner was tense at best. Elizabeth's father kept his eyes on his plate nearly the entire time, and Elizabeth kept hers on her phone screen as she searched online for available apartments. They usually ate late when he was home, and tonight was no exception. She glanced at the clock at the top of her phone screen. It was 8:30. Her video call with Will was in less than two hours, and she wanted to shower, change, and fix her makeup before then.

She looked up when she heard her father clear his throat. His mouth was pressed into a stern line, but the expression in his eyes was a bit softer than it had been earlier in the day.

"Elizabeth, I've given your plans a great deal of thought. I agree to allow you to pursue this nursing nonsense, but I won't financially contribute to your education. You can stay here at the house, but, I'm cutting off all other financial support."

Elizabeth struggled to reign in the angry retort on the tip of her tongue. She wanted to tell him that it didn't matter if he'd decided to _allow_ her to pursue it. Staying under his roof would only make it easier for him to manipulate her into doing his will, and she was done playing the pawn. She was an adult and it was her decision, whether he liked it or not. However, knowing that saying so would only make him furious, she carefully laid her fork on her plate with forced composure and dropped her hands to her lap, where she clenched them into fists beneath the table. In a calm voice that belied her anger, she simply said, "My scholarships will cover my tuition and books." She saw the disappointment in her father's eyes and quickly looked away.

She rose from the table and said, "Goodnight, Dad," before she turned to leave the room.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

It was nearly a quarter past nine when Elizabeth finally made it up to her room. She had been waylaid by Dominica, who had wanted to know how everything had gone.

Fortunately, she was cutting the time until Will's call close enough that the turmoil of the day hadn't had a chance to settle in. The last thing she needed was to be red-eyed and splotchy. After she'd showered, she wrapped a towel around herself and headed for her walk-in closet to try to find something to wear. She finally settled on a V-neck, wine red tank top and a pair of black shorts. After she was dressed, she returned to the bathroom to redo her hair and makeup. She felt a little ridiculous about putting so much effort into her appearance for a video call.

When she'd finished, she glanced at the time on her phone screen. It was nearly ten. The resident swarm of butterflies in her stomach took flight as she gave herself a quick once-over in the full-length mirror on the bedroom wall. She took a deep breath and slowly released it before she sat down at her desk and switched on her laptop.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

Will stood in front of the bathroom mirror and eyed himself critically. He wasn't a vain man, but he wanted to make sure he didn't look like he hadn't slept in two days – which he hadn't – or like he'd been working for the past twenty hours straight – which he had. He'd been on the verge of falling asleep the morning before, after chatting with Elizabeth, when a fire had broken out in an engine room. After the fire had been extinguished, the mess cleaned up and repairs made, it had nearly been time for his watch to start. Then, after his shift and watches were over with, he'd had to be topside to man the rails when they pulled into port. That always got his adrenaline pumping. The feeling of the wind and the smell of the sea, combined with the sound of Boston's cover of _The Star-Spangled Banner_ blasting over the ship's sound system as they pulled into their home port was invigorating, to say the least.

After that, he'd showered and pulled on a clean, gray t-shirt over a pair of black track pants. Will grimaced at his reflection. The last place he wanted to have his first face-to-face meeting with Elizabeth was in his cramped rack, but it was the only place there was that ensured him any privacy.

He tilted his head back to put in eye drops and had just raised the bottle to the edge of his eye and squeezed it, when Jack walked past and clapped him on the back, nearly causing him to gouge his eye out with the dropper.

"Hot date with your computer again, mate?"

Will rapidly blinked his eye to sooth the burning sensation. "No."

"Right," Jack grinned. "Oi, want to go up to Roppongi this evening, then?"

"Pass," Will replied. He was exhausted and spending a night in the notorious party district was the last thing he wanted to do at the moment. At Jack's disappointed look, he added, "Maybe next time."

Jack's expression brightened. "I talked to my dad. He found a three-bay garage with a storefront and three apartments above it, _below_ our price range. Half of what we expected to spend, in fact, which means we'll be able to pay cash for the lot of it. It seems the real estate market is in quite a slump, which works in our favor. This place has been for sale for two years, with no bites, so they're desperate to sell. The apartments have been unoccupied for almost a year, but Dad says they're in good condition."

"That's great news," Will agreed. Having living quarters in the same building as the garage would save significantly on housing costs. So would the lack of a business loan. "What do you think about it?"

Jack leaned a hip against a sink and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm all for it. Looks like we've found the place then, eh?"

Will nodded. "Looks that way."

Jack straightened. "Well, I'm going to catch some sleep and then get off this bloody tin can while I'm able."

"Stay out of trouble tonight, Jack, and for God's sake, don't pass out on the train this time, alright?" Will called after him as he sauntered off toward the showers.

Jack threw Will a look over his shoulder and rolled his eyes. "Tell your dolly-belle hello for me."

Will shook his head. He finished up with the eye drops and headed for his rack.

After he was settled in, he opened his laptop and waited for Skype to load. The wireless signal was surprisingly strong, and the program opened immediately. He checked the time and, feeling slightly nervous, hit the call button.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

The Skype ringtone sounded on Elizabeth's laptop, making the butterflies in her stomach accelerate into hyperdrive. She took a deep breath and answered on the third ring. When Will's handsome face appeared on her screen, she couldn't help but smile.

"Hey," Will greeted with a smile of his own. He had been slightly taken aback when the bright smile, a smile just for him, flashed across her full lips. She looked even more beautiful than she had in the photos and video she'd sent.

Elizabeth didn't know how long she stared into his mesmerizing dark eyes, a world away, but she lowered her own briefly, before replying with a shy, "Hi." She felt her face heat up under a blush and hoped the light in her room was dim enough that he wouldn't notice.

Will noted the slight blush that tinged her cheeks as she lowered her eyes before meeting his again on the screen. He realized with some surprise that she felt shy – not a characteristic he would have attributed to her, based upon the emails and texts they'd exchanged - and he tried to put her at ease. "Nice to see you this evening," he winked. "I hope you'll forgive the scenery on my end. Unfortunately, my rack is the only place where I have any privacy to make a call. Would you like a tour?" he asked, raising a dark eyebrow.

Elizabeth nodded. "I'd love one." She watched as Will rolled to one side, out of sight of the camera, revealing a view of a very narrow, low-ceilinged bunk.

He ducked back into the frame. "As you can see, it's a pretty tight fit. There isn't enough room to sit up in here, so I have to lay down."

Elizabeth's eyes widened. "You weren't joking about the accommodations," she laughed.

"No, ma'am," he answered with a grin. "Yours look much more comfortable."

Elizabeth shrugged and looked over her shoulder before she returned her attention to the screen. "Just a bit." She couldn't help but notice how tired he looked. "You look tired, Will."

The sound of his name on her lips made his heart give an odd thump. He cleared his throat to dispel the sensation. "I'm alright." He studied her image on the screen closely. Despite her beautiful smile and the warmth in her golden-brown eyes, he detected a bit of weariness there as well. "Are you alright? How did the conversation with your dad go?"

She shook her head and pressed her fingertips to her temples. "Not as well as I had hoped. It's sort of a long story. I don't want to bore you with all the gory details."

Will leveled a concerned look into the camera, wishing he could be there with her in person to reassure her. "Elizabeth, you won't bore me. I'd like to hear about it if you feel comfortable telling me."

Elizabeth's heart skipped a beat when he said her name. She bit her lower lip and took a deep breath before she dropped her gaze to the desktop and traced her index finger over the pattern of the wood grain. "Well, when I told my dad, he basically went through the roof. I've never really seen him that angry before. At least not at me. To sum up, he told me that he wouldn't let me go to school for nursing as long as I was living under his roof. I told him that I understood, and, in that case, I'd move out. Then, I went to the nursing home where I volunteer to meet with the director. I told her that I need a job and that I plan to go to school for nursing. She hired me for a kitchen position until I'm able to get my certified nursing assistant license. I went ahead and enrolled in the course. It starts on Monday and it'll be in the evenings, so it won't interfere with my class schedule, once school starts. I'll be finished with it by the end of the month. The nursing home will pay for the course if I agree to work there for at least six months after I receive my certification, so of course, I agreed to that. I'll attend my classes during the day and work the evening shift. The plan is to find my own apartment once I have enough money saved up for a deposit, the first month's rent, and enough to buy basic necessities. I don't need to worry about money for college tuition because my scholarships will cover that. I can finish my Associate of Science degree and be licensed as a registered nurse in two years' time." Elizabeth glanced up at the screen. Will's eyes were narrowed slightly as if he were intently focused on what she was saying. A smile lifted the corner of her mouth. "Bored yet?"

Will's eyes widened, and he blinked. "No, no, quite the opposite, actually." He was very impressed, in fact. "I think it's an excellent plan. I hope everything works out."

Elizabeth pressed her lips together to hide a shy smile. "Thanks. At supper this evening, my dad told me that he'd decided to allow me to 'pursue this nursing nonsense' and that I can stay at the house, but that he's cutting off all financial support. I don't really see it as a concession. In fact, I know exactly what he's doing. He expects me to fail." She paused and sighed heavily, her shoulders sagging under the weight of the day's events. "I just wish that he would genuinely care and support me, but it always feels like his love is contingent upon whether or not I do what he wants," she finished in a whisper as a lump began to form in her throat. She looked up at the ceiling and concentrated on not blinking so that the tears that had welled up in her eyes wouldn't fall. She cleared her throat, and once she was certain there was no danger of revealing her feelings, she turned her eyes to Will's image on the screen and continued with resolve. "But I won't fail. I'd just love to tell him, 'Go ahead and underestimate me. That'll be fun.' I won't, of course. That'd only stir things up and I like to try to avoid as much conflict as possible. I'm going to follow through with my plan," she finished with a shrug and a small smile.

Will struggled to keep his expression neutral as the now-familiar protective feeling rose within him. He'd seen the brief flash of pain in Elizabeth's eyes before she'd turned her gaze up to the ceiling. He wanted to tell her that she didn't have to hide anything from him, but he felt that that reassurance would only be welcome with time and trust, and he'd wager she didn't trust easily. He forced himself to smile, instead. "Hey, hang in there, alright? Everything will work out. Besides, I have a feeling that there's no stopping you, once you've set your mind to something."

"Damn straight," Elizabeth replied with mock solemnity. She couldn't help but laugh about the whole, messy situation. It was either that or cry, and she'd rather avoid that at all costs.

Will's forced smile turned genuine as he watched her eyes sparkle and her face light up with laughter. "You have a beautiful smile," he said without thinking. He held his breath after the words were out and watched Elizabeth's face flush a soft pink.

She felt her smile widen involuntarily. Had _he_ looked in a mirror, she wondered. "Look who's talking," she replied.

Will looked down at his keyboard and uncomfortably cleared his throat.

"So, what's new with you?" Elizabeth asked, calling his attention to the computer once more. "Less than three months and you'll be heading home…that has to be exciting."

Will nodded. "I'm looking forward to it, for many reasons. Jack's dad located a building. It's a three-bay shop with a storefront and three apartments above it. He's going to put in an offer for us, and he doesn't see any reason why the sale won't go through." An idea came to mind. The building had three apartments. He and Jack would each have their own, and that left one extra. "Actually," he began slowly, "about the apartments. Jack and I will each have our own, but there will be one extra. If you're in search of an apartment for yourself, maybe, if you want to I mean, well, would you be interested in looking at that one?"

Elizabeth's lips parted, and she blinked. She didn't know how to reply. Live in the same building as Will? She wondered how Lauren would react to that. Or herself, for that matter. A vision of having to watch and hear the women whom he'd undoubtedly date when he returned, come and go through his door, flashed before her eyes. She felt a twinge of jealousy at the thought, even though she knew that it was ridiculous for her to feel so. After all, it wasn't like she had any claim to him. "We'll have to see," she replied hesitantly.

Will instantly regretted the question when he saw how uncomfortable it had made her. The last thing he wanted to do was push her into anything. "I'm sorry, that was probably a bit too forward of me."

"No, no," Elizabeth rushed to assure him. "I appreciate the offer, really, I do. I just don't know if you'll want me around that much after you get to know me." She watched a look of relief pass over his features.

Will gave her a wry smile. "I don't think you have much to worry about, as far as my feelings are concerned, Elizabeth." He hesitated a moment as he mentally battled over whether or not to tell her exactly how he did feel about her. He wanted her to know how much she mattered to him, but he didn't want to make her uncomfortable, either. "Hear me out, okay?" he began. When Elizabeth nodded and gave him a small, encouraging smile, he continued, "Since I've met you, I feel like I have something to look forward to. Even mundane things that happen every day have become something I can share with you. I've never really had anyone I could share my experiences with. Lauren likes to talk, gossip, mainly, but she doesn't really care about, or have the patience for, the day to day stuff. My dad was never around, and my mom always worked so hard to make ends meet that she was usually too exhausted during the limited time she was home, for that sort of thing."

Warmth enveloped her heart and a soft smile touched her lips. She rested her elbow on the desktop and propped her chin in her hand. Before she could reply, Will's eyes narrowed slightly, and his gaze focused on something behind her. He nodded toward whatever it was that had drawn his attention. She looked over her shoulder to see what had caught his interest. Her father stood in the doorway, his expression solemn. She swiveled in her chair to face him and stood, to block the screen.

"Hi, Dad," she nervously greeted.

He took a couple of steps into the room. "What are you up to this late?" he asked.

Elizabeth felt instantly on edge but shrugged to hide her discomfort. "Not much. Just surfing the internet." She wondered what else he could possibly have to say to her after the conversations they'd had that day.

Her dad nodded. "I forgot to remind you about the upcoming dinner next Friday evening."

She'd forgotten all about the dreaded annual event that he referred to. Senators, mayors, and other various dignitaries from across the Virgin Islands descended upon their home for a formal dinner and an evening of cocktails on the second Friday of August, each year. She groaned internally, but replied, "I won't."

He raised an eyebrow. "James will be there, of course. As will Cutler Beckett."

Elizabeth's heart fell at the mention of the second name. As uncomfortable as James Norrington made her, he was just a taciturn, stuck-up, ass who hadn't bothered to speak a word to her, other than the occasional greeting, ever since an unfortunate incident involving his car, a decade ago. It hadn't been her fault that he had left the shiny, red vehicle unlocked, and it wasn't every day a kid was able to sneak warm-from-the-oven, chocolate chip cookies into the driver's seat of a BMW Roadster convertible. She still detested him for throwing her over his shoulder and marching her through a houseful of disapproving guests before turning her over to her father for punishment. Cutler Beckett, the chief financial officer of the overseas branch of her father's import and export company, on the other hand, was scary as hell. The man, only eight years her senior, had made a completely inappropriate pass at her the year before, and she'd carefully avoided him since. She could still hear his condescending, voice…

" _Seventeen, hmm,"_ Cutler had whispered in her ear as his hand grazed the curve of her hip when he'd come to stand beside her on the terrace outside the salon where he'd found her alone. " _Only one more year until you're legal, Elizabeth."_ She'd immediately walked away from him and joined a group of adults just inside the house. Although she'd managed to avoid him for the rest of the evening, she'd felt his eyes on her the entire time. She shuddered at the memory.

She'd told Dominica about it, who had confronted her father. Her dad had brushed the incident off as a misunderstanding and hadn't taken her concern about it seriously. Although he had spoken to the creep about it anyway, Elizabeth seriously doubted that their chat had had any effect on Cutler.

She took a deep breath. "Do you have any idea how uncomfortable Cutler makes me feel, Dad? I know you think that he was just making a joke last year, but the thought of being anywhere near him makes me nervous."

Her father gave her a reassuring smile. "He assured me it was a misunderstanding, Elizabeth. Yes, the comment was misplaced, I grant that, but I spoke to him, and it's been handled. He assured me it won't happen again."

Elizabeth wished she could have as much faith in her father's employee as he seemed to have. Knowing from experience that further argument would be futile, she gave a tight shrug, and absently rubbed her hands over her arms against the sudden chill she felt. "Well, goodnight then."

When he finally left the room, she took a moment to pull herself together before turning back to the screen. She sucked in a deep breath and slowly released it.

Will had overheard the whole conversation. An uneasy feeling tugged at him and he wondered what had happened at the event she referred to. The stress in Elizabeth's voice and her tense posture throughout the exchange only increased his concern for her.

She finally turned around again and sank down into the chair. "Sorry about that," she said, meeting Will's dark-lashed eyes, which appeared full of concern through the screen.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

She shrugged and forced a smile. "Yeah. It's all good. Anyway, I hope that wasn't as awkward for you as it was for me."

Despite her attempt at levity, Will could see the effort behind her smile. He wanted to ask her what exactly this Beckett had done, but he didn't want to add to her burden by forcing her to rehash it again. He'd rather take her mind off of it if he could. "When does your dad leave again?"

"Three weeks," she sighed, resting her chin in her hand. "Again, I'm really, really sorry about that." She dropped her eyes to her lap.

"Elizabeth," Will said, drawing her attention to the screen once more. When her gaze rose to meet his, he shook his head. "You have no idea how much I wish I could be there to talk with you in person. It's quite frustrating to be a world away and not be able to do more than offer words of encouragement."

Elizabeth gave him a genuine smile. "I wish you were, too. It's going to seem strange when you move here. I'm looking forward to it, but it'll feel a bit surreal."

He shrugged. "Like with anything else, we'll just take it one day at a time. Your friendship has come to mean a lot to me."

"Ditto. Your willingness to listen and the encouragement you've given me throughout this whole debacle has meant more than you know," she replied, as she sat back in her chair and toyed with a curl of dark blonde hair.

"I'm here any time," he assured her. "So, what's your favorite type of flower?"

Elizabeth looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully for a moment before she answered. "Roses. I enjoy gardening and I try to get them to grow, but the salt from the sea spray gets carried on the wind and ruins my best efforts. I have some luck if I plant them behind the house, against the foundation, but the gardener tends to get upset with me when I do that."

Will mentally filed the information away for later use. "Roses, hmm?"

"Yep. I love the way they look and smell, and the meaning behind each color," she explained. She felt a yawn coming on, and moved to the side, out of view of the camera. While she was off screen, she took the opportunity to study Will's handsome features. His eyes were the personification of warmth, the color of rich, dark mahogany in sunlight.

"Hello?" he called softly. Elizabeth had been away from the screen for several moments, and he wondered if she was still in the room. "Are you still there?"

She sat up straight, popping back into the frame as she did so. She watched as a smile slowly spread over his face and he laughed softly. The sound was as warm as his eyes.

"Where did you go to?" he asked.

"I had to yawn. Didn't think you'd want to see that."

Will cocked an eyebrow. "That must have been quite a yawn…I thought you'd left."

Elizabeth blushed. "I…got distracted. Sorry." _By your gorgeous eyes,_ she mentally added.

Will shook his head. "No worries. I had better let you get some sleep though. Do you think we can do this again tomorrow?"

"Of course. At six-thirty?" she asked.

Will gave a nod. "It's a date," he winked.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

The following Friday evening, Elizabeth stood in front of the full-length mirror in her bedroom and eyed her reflection critically. She straightened the amber jeweled clip that secured her hair back from her face on one side, while the rest fell over her opposite shoulder. The simple, champagne-colored, V-neck halter gown with its long, A-line skirt, flattered her figure, without drawing too much attention to it. She hated these types of events. She'd rather wear her denim shorts with a t-shirt and flip flops, but her dad – and his distinguished guests – would probably have a coronary, if she did.

She'd attend the dinner and then disappear, she vowed to herself as she stepped into a pair of silver flats and headed for the door.

Elizabeth was bored. She'd finished her meal, but the guests still lingered at the table, talking. The two middle-aged women seated on either side of her were engaged in conversation with others, and she studiously avoided looking directly across the table to where James Norrington sat. Instead, she studied the wilted lettuce leaves on the plate in front of her.

A movement from James' direction caught her eye. When she looked up, she was surprised to see him staring directly at her. He usually ignored her existence entirely. He was leaning as far back in his seat as the straight-backed chair would allow. Once he'd caught her attention, he raised an eyebrow and pointedly looked to his left and right, where his dinner partners leaned across the table in front of him, engaged in a heated debate. He rolled his eyes.

Elizabeth pressed her lips together to stifle a surprised laugh. The stuffy James Norrington making a joke? Unheard of! At least within the past decade. Usually, his humor was so dry, it could be described as desiccated.

The moment passed when he returned his attention to his dinner partners, and the woman to Elizabeth's right turned to speak to her.

After the dinner was finally over, everyone began to move into the salon for drinks. Elizabeth was just about to exit the dining room to return to her bedroom when she felt a light tap on her arm. She looked up. It was James.

"How are you this evening?" he asked quietly.

Elizabeth eyed him uncertainly. "I'm fine. Why?"

"I would like to speak with you. Will you meet me outside?"

"In front of the house?" she asked.

He gave a single nod. "I'll join you shortly."

Confused, she made her way outside and stood on the front steps. She watched the bright tropic moon hovering in the sky just above the sea, as she waited. To say she was surprised was an understatement. It was the first time he'd said more than ten words to her since she was little, and that had been when she was eight, and he was twenty. _That_ particular occasion had become known as the 'BMW Incident.' Since then, he'd adopted a quiet and distant air.

The Swan and Norrington families had been friends for generations, and James' father before him had been a senator as well. Politics, like blood, tended to run deep in families, and the Norrington's were no exception.

A noise behind her caused Elizabeth to turn. She watched as James stepped outside and closed the door behind him. He came to stand a few feet away from her on the step below where she stood. Even with Elizabeth's one-step up advantage, he was still taller than her. She raised a curious eyebrow.

"Sorry to pull you out here like this," he said.

"I must admit, I'm a bit puzzled," she replied.

He released a deep breath and looked down at the brick step. "I know I haven't been the most cordial person lately," he began.

"Lately!" Elizabeth exclaimed in a quiet voice, cutting him off. "James, you haven't said more than ten words put together to me since I was _eight_." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Look," he sighed, giving her a placating look, "just hear me out, a moment."

Elizabeth gave him a doubtful look but nodded for him to continue. She'd been hearing the words, 'just hear me out,' a lot, lately, it seemed.

"Your father told me about your plans for school. I just want you to know that I think it's admirable. What you did took guts, and you have my full support."

She pursed her lips and gave a small nod. "I don't need your support, but I appreciate the sentiment."

James rolled his eyes.

She looked out toward the sea again and smirked. "I have to say, I didn't know you possessed a sense of humor."

He laughed quietly.

Elizabeth looked at him in surprise. "And a laugh! Well, nothing will surprise me after this. You know, I feel it incumbent upon me to tell you that the silent, stuffed shirt façade is quite creepy."

He looked puzzled. "Stuffed shirt façade?" He scoffed. "Please, don't mistake my disinclination for small talk, for apathy or snobbery. If I don't have anything to say, I hold my tongue. Besides, up until very recently, and please, don't take this the wrong way - in fact, I'm going to invoke the privilege and protection of being a very old family friend who has watched you grow from the time you were an annoying, screaming baby, into the lovely young lady you are today – anyway, until very recently, you seemed to have no opinions or will of your own. You just did your father's bidding." He regarded her perceptively with intelligent blue eyes.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. She was about to fling back a snarky retort when she recognized the teasing glint in his eye and the slight curve of his mouth that hinted at a smile. She conceded that he was _mostly_ correct. "Well," she sighed tiredly, "sometimes it's just easier to keep the status quo. However, I've lately discovered that the easiest route isn't always the best one."

"Indeed," he nodded. "Well, shall we return inside before we're missed?"

"Probably should. You know," she added, as they turned to walk up the stairs to the front door, "you're not half bad when you're not yelling at me and throwing me over your shoulder to haul me into my father for punishment for sitting in your car."

James stopped on the landing and turned to face her with a mischievous glare and the barest hint of a smile. "Yes, well, I could say the same thing. You're more pleasant to talk to yourself, now that you're old enough to act like a real person instead of a precocious brat. Besides, you can't blame me for being angry. You left muddy footprints on the seat and floor of my new BMW, and chocolate fingerprints all over the steering wheel and upholstery."

Elizabeth's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?!" she exclaimed.

He turned back toward the door and held it open for her. "You're excused. I've long since gotten over it."

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

After he'd made sure that Elizabeth had gone upstairs to the safety of her room, James Norrington scanned the empty foyer. When he'd assured himself that no one else had seen where she had gone, he made his way into the salon and stood off to the side to observe the crowd. His eyes finally found whom they'd been seeking - Cutler Beckett, the chief financial officer of the overseas branch of the Swan family's international import and export company. Unfortunately, the man's business frequently brought him to the corporation's international headquarters on St. Thomas.

James had kept a watchful eye on the man all evening. He'd noticed Beckett's pass at Elizabeth at last year's annual dinner, and though he didn't know what he had said to her, she had looked genuinely discomfited, afterward. He'd made a mental note to keep an eye out this year. He had his own reasons for not trusting Beckett, and, aside from that, there was just something about the man that didn't sit well with him. When he had noticed Cutler heading Elizabeth's way after dinner, he had stepped in and asked her to join him outside, to get her out of the slimy eel's way.

Weatherby Swan was a decent man at heart, and a valuable political ally, but when it came to his own daughter, he could be quite oblivious and even cavalier at times. James' own feelings on the matter of Elizabeth were a bit ambivalent, even to himself. He couldn't reconcile the beautiful young woman she'd become with the annoying child she'd been. She'd seemed uncomfortable around him, ever since the BMW incident and then, after he'd gone off to law school, and found himself thrust into the political arena, he hadn't given his father's friend's young daughter a second thought. Elizabeth had grown up, while he'd had his head turned, it seemed, and he hadn't even realized it until the incident with Beckett last year. A sense of duty and protectiveness had kindled in his heart then, much like he imagined he'd feel for a younger sister, had he had one.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

Elizabeth locked the bedroom door behind her before she kicked off her flats and sat down at her desk. She glanced at the time on her computer screen. It was ten-thirty. She hoped Will would still be up. He'd told her the night before to give him a call after the dinner was over with. She bit her lip and hit the call button next to his contact photo.

Will was awakened by the sound of his Skype ringtone, blasting over his headphones. He glanced up at the computer screen, propped against the side of his rack. It was Elizabeth. He propped himself up on one elbow as he attempted to get his bleary eyes to focus and answered. When his vision finally cleared, he stared in awe for a moment at the image on his screen. She looked exquisite. Her hair, done in loose waves, cascaded over her left shoulder and was swept back on the right, secured with an amber jeweled clip that nearly matched the color of her eyes. His gaze trailed down her slender neck to her dress's plunging neckline that revealed a hint of cleavage. He jerked his eyes away from the sight, thankful that she couldn't actually see him checking her out. "Wow," he finally said. "You look breathtaking."

Elizabeth blushed. "Thanks." She hesitated a moment before she said, "You look really tired. I'm sorry if I woke you."

"No, no," Will assured her. "I'm glad you called. How did tonight go?"

Elizabeth nodded slowly. "It was surprising, actually. I had a great talk with a person I'd heretofore written off as someone I'd never want anything to do with, but they pleasantly surprised me this evening, and even helped me escape complete boredom at dinner."

"Well, that's always good news," Will conceded. Relief filled him. He had been concerned about Elizabeth's safety and peace of mind all week, especially after he'd heard her father so casually brush aside her fears about one of the guests. "Who was your unexpected ally?"

Elizabeth gave her head a slight shake. She still felt a bit baffled by the revelations of the evening. "James Norrington."

Will blinked, nonplussed. " _Senator_ James Norrington?"

Elizabeth pressed her lips into a tight line and gave a nod as she raised her eyes to the ceiling. "Yep. I'd written him off as a stuffed-shirt jerk, but it turns out he's just kind of quiet and doesn't like small talk." She paused a moment and tilted her head to the side. "Well, that and I destroyed his car when I was eight."

Will laughed, even as a thin thread of jealousy wound its way through his chest. He quickly dismissed the feeling. He had to admit, he owed the man his gratitude for looking out for her, even if her own father hadn't. "You _destroyed_ his car? That sounds like an entertaining story," he grinned.

"Well, ruined the upholstery, anyway. With chocolate. And mud. He wasn't amused. So, in short, tonight was unexpected. Anyway, he told me that my dad told him about my plans for school, and James said that he supports my decision. Not like it's any of his business, but the sentiment was nice."

"Hmm," Will replied. He forced his next words out in a light tone, even though they threatened to catch in his throat. "So, do you like him, then?"

Elizabeth's eyes widened in alarm. She detected a bit of a hard glint in Will's normally warm eyes. "What? Good Lord, no! Although, my dad would like nothing better than that," she conceded, rolling her eyes.

Will quietly released a tense breath and decided to change the subject. "How are your nursing assistant classes going?"

"Great," Elizabeth smiled. "I'm really enjoying them. Only three weeks left to go. I started work in the kitchen at the nursing home this week, too." She shrugged. "It's okay, and it's temporary, so I don't mind. School starts next week. I just hope I'm able to balance everything, you know? It'll be easier once the CNA course is over with."

"You'll do just fine," Will assured her. "I have some news for you."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow and bit the corner of her lower lip. "Oh, you do? Well, let's hear it then."

"The sale for the shop went through. Jack's dad signed the papers today." Will paused a moment to consider whether he should offer the apartment again. According to Lauren, Elizabeth hadn't had any luck in her search so far. "I don't know if you've given it any more thought, but I spoke with Jack, and the third apartment is yours if you want it."

Elizabeth smiled. "That's great news about the shop, Will! Congrats!" She'd given the apartment situation a lot of thought over the past week and had searched for some on her own. The pickings were extremely slim, and everything that was available was over her budget. Will's offer of the extra apartment had begun to sound better and better. At least she'd have neighbors she could trust. She'd find a way to deal with her other reservations when the time came. "I've given the apartment some thought, and I'm seriously considering it." She squinted one eye shut and hesitantly asked, "Are you sure it'll be alright with everyone?"

Will nodded. "Jack's girlfriend, Anamaria, will be moving out of my house in Christiansted and into his apartment above the shop the first week of September. I spoke with her, and she said she'd be willing to help you move, and she'd feel a lot better if she had a neighbor in the building." Will dropped his eyes to the keyboard for a moment in thought. He probably should give Elizabeth a bit of a heads up about Anamaria's quirkiness. "About Anamaria," he began, "she's one of my closest friends. I grew up with her and Jack. She's…" he glanced up at the low ceiling of his bunk as he searched for the right adjective, "interesting. She'd do anything for the people she cares about, but if you get on her bad side, she can be quite terrifying. She's eager to meet you, though."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "She sounds a bit like Lauren."

Will laughed. "A little, but, Anamaria is more tactful, wiser, and, believe it or not, _much_ scarier when you make her angry."

She smiled. "I look forward to meeting her."

"The feeling is mutual," Will replied. "Teague - that's Jack's dad - said he can show the apartment whenever works for you."

Excitement about the thought of having her own place energized her. "Well, then, in that case, I think I'll take you up on your offer, Mr. Turner."


End file.
